The Legend of Jahn - Book Two: Identity
by AvatarJahn
Summary: After a heart-breaking start as the Avatar, Jahn has finally managed to avenge Avatar Korra. Thanks to his friends, both new and old, his burden has lifted slightly. But just as Jahn questions who he really is and what being the Avatar truly means, a threat arises in the wake of Vehrin's chaos which might ignite war between humans and spirits. And the Spirit Eaters must be stopped.
1. Book One Recap

((Hey everyone! Jahn's back with another Book, wahooo! Just in case you're new to Jahn's story, here's a quick recap. Not the same as reading it from scratch but y'know, better than total confusion. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the continuation of Jahn's legend as much as I enjoy writing it!))

BOOK ONE RECAP:

Avatar Jahn's journey has already been fraught with peril and heartbreak. The spirit Vehrin has caused immeasurable damage to the world at large and also to the family and friends of Avatar Korra. Having drained her life away, the Avatar cycle began again and the world carried on turning.

The new Avatar is a complicated young man of eighteen years. Jahn is strong-willed and loving, yet unsure of himself and easy to offend. His life is dedicated to caring for his sick mother. When he discovers his identity, the White Lotus remove him from his home of Taku forcibly, along with his mother.

Jahn's firebending training begins in earnest, overseen by Grand Lotus Zukoh, son of Fire Lord Iroh, with Akirai, aunt to Zukoh and sister to Iroh. After learning much about the art of fire, Jahn decides his imprisonment is over. The Avatar escapes and travels to Air Temple Island.

Avatar Korra's old friends greet him there, whereupon he discovers not all is well with the world. It is not long before he is attacked by the newly renewed Red Lotus, led by a woman named Scarlett. Jahn loses control of the Avatar State when his mother is killed in cold blood and locks himself and Jinora in the Spirit World.

Meanwhile, the Red Lotus imprison Tenzin, Kai and the other Airbenders whilst they take over Republic City. Jinora's daughter Aana meets with the great Air spirit Qí-long to discuss the unrest in the city whilst a waterbender named Anik finds Jinora and Jahn in the Spirit World. Along with one of the last lion-turtles, he introduces himself and joins the team.

In doing so, Jahn vanishes. The spirit Vehrin steals him away and finally shows his face. Jahn realises the truth of the vampire and is so shocked by the revelation that Vehrin was responsible for Korra's death that he triggers the Avatar State. Korra gets her revenge as she finds out the truth.

The trio reunite and journey through the Spirit World. Word reaches them of a powerful spirit with the power to stop the vampire spirit Vehrin. The Soul Shaper grants Jahn her power and he baits Vehrin in. Using the combined powers of the Soul Shaper and Raava, Jahn unleashes the most powerful Avatar State ever, destroying the evil spirit and giving peace to Korra at last.

Understanding the current situation in Republic City, they make for the portal, confident that Jahn could now open it. Zukoh and the Airbenders break out and wage war against the Red Lotus, pushing them towards the portal. The Fire Nation forces arrive to assist the removal of the enemy and the Republic City battle commences.

The Red Lotus are little match for the might of the Fire Nation, driving them out of the city. Their leader, Scarlett, refuses to admit defeat and waits by the portal as Jahn emerges. They fend her off and meet Prince Kazon, brother to Zukoh.

Scarlett taunts them on the radio, informing Jahn that he must give himself up to save Zukoh, Kai and an Airbender named Auri. Jahn, knowing Korra would have done the same, travels to the Station to barter for their lives.

Scarlett breaks their deal. When she attempts to kill Zukoh, Jahn, Anik and Kazon launch into action. After a brief fight, Zukoh, Kazon and Jahn all redirect a single lightning blast to finish Scarlett and end the Red Lotus rebellion.

After the chaos, Jahn rests at Air Temple Island, unsure as to his future and his identity. Guilt weighs on him heavily, yet he finally recovers from the heartbreak of his mother's death and the events that unfolded.

His future remains a million possibilities, impossible to read.

But not by all.


	2. Downtime

Downtime:

The sun was blinding and the sand burned as the waterbender lay back, soaking in the solar rays. This was a far more enjoyable time than he usually had in the icy tundra he called home. A cool sea breeze kissed his face gently and the sound of laughter surrounded him.

A closer noise startled him as the Avatar collapsed into the sand beside him. It billowed outwards in a cloud, forcing the water tribe boy to shield his eyes. Once the cloud cleared, Anik turned to his friend.

"How was the spirit world?" he asked with a laugh. In truth, Anik was extremely pleased that his new friend was back after a few weeks away.

Jahn groaned. He lay his head back in the sand and spread his limbs out. It was good to relax after that long journey. "As confusing as ever. All for a flute. Tracking that cactus spirit was a nightmare."

Anik shrugged. "At least you kept your promise. Although, given everything that went on, handing a flute to a random spirit wouldn't exactly be top of my to-do list. Was it pleased?"

"I imagine so. It was as grumpy as the first time I met it," Jahn said with a rueful grimace. His legs ached from all the walking and he felt drained from the long journey. The Spirit World was vast and on top of that, the boat trip from Republic City to the Fire Nation took longer than he'd liked too. His green tunic was shabby from days without a clean but his hair was renewed and as tufty as ever.

Anik also lay back in the sand, staring at the bright blue sky. "Spirits eh. Nearly as confusing as people."

Jahn grinned. "Almost, but not quite. So, how's everyone finding time off?"

"Time off saving the world and countless lives? Yeah, it's great," Anik laughed in response. "Kazon was more than happy to have us all stay on Ember Island for a bit, seeing as we essentially saved Zukoh's life."

Jahn nodded. The Fire Prince was a good man and had rather quickly become a fast friend. Whereas Zukoh had inherited the serious traits of his ancestors and Akirai had clearly inherited the aggression, Kazon had benefitted from the wisdom and cheerfulness of his great-great-great-uncle Iroh. Having met them both, Jahn could see the similarities.

"Is Prince Kazon here at the moment?" Jahn inquired. He knew the Prince had little time to sit around idly. The Fire Nation had invaded Republic City and whilst it was to liberate it, there were still discussions to be had and paperwork to be filled in so as to prevent any hostile feelings.

The waterbender shook his head. "Nah. He left yesterday for some important meeting or something. He'll be back in a few days, I think."

"And the airbenders?"

"Tenzin and Aana are both inside their hut down the beach. Kai's out and about somewhere but he's on the island. Jinora turned up for an afternoon the other day but she left pretty quickly. I guess she does have an entire nation to run. Oh, and Bumi's here too. Seems to have perked up considerably lately," Anik added as an afterthought, ticking off the friends on his hand.

Jahn sat up. Both he and Tenzin had discussed their thoughts on Bumi after the altercation with the Red Lotus and both had decided his deterioration had been more than just old age. If Vehrin had targeted Aana due to her affiliation with the spirits, Bumi may have also suffered at the hands of the vampire spirit.

"Don't get your hopes up; he's at the theatre at the moment. They still play that awful play about Avatar Aang and his friends and he likes to watch his dad run around on stage," the waterbender said with a disgusted face. "I went the other day and they got loads of things wrong. Pretty sure Chief Sokka didn't fend off the Fire Nation attack with just a penguinseal as a weapon and I'm almost certain that Appa couldn't breathe fire and didn't have two giant muscly arms."

That very thought made Jahn laugh loudly. How the Ember Island Players managed to get things so wrong actually amazed him. They'd even done a play about Korra's defeat of Kuvira a few years back and apparently the huge mechatank was destroyed simply because some crafty merchant had stuffed a cabbage into the cannon's barrel whilst Korra provided a distraction.

"Incredible. Who keeps endorsing them, anyway?" the Avatar asked between chuckles.

His friend shrugged in response. He was wearing little clothing; only a small piece of underwear protected his modesty as he basked in the warm Fire Nation sun. Jahn felt tremendously hot in comparison; his tunic was meant for warmth.

Time to change. He patted Anik on the shoulder and made up the beach towards where a line of huts overlooked the sea.

If only he knew which was his.

* * *

His reflection stared back at him in the mirror. He wasn't sure it was even the same face he recognised anymore. He looked different. Something in his eyes maybe. Everything he'd gone through had taken its toll.

Jahn splashed some water on his face from the basin and sighed deeply. He was in better shape than he'd even been at least. His torso was well defined and strong. On his left side was a burn scar, courtesy of Akirai. It would never fade, but it stood as a stark reminder that being the Avatar was always going to be a difficult task.

Two of the four elements were under his control. Airbending was taking a little longer, but he'd managed some basic swishes and forms that provided some promising results. Hopefully it wouldn't be too long until his Airbending training began in earnest. And when he eventually moved onto waterbending, he hoped he could master that quickly. Redirecting lightning was a very similar method of bending to water and he'd done that more than once.

The last time, however…

It had been three weeks. He'd never, ever, get over what he did. Taking a life was not something to be taken lightly. Destroying Vehrin had been necessary as the spirit was too dark to be allowed to roam free. For some reason, killing the spirit did not trouble him nearly as much as killing Scarlett. A life was a life, regardless of whom it belonged to. That was Avatar Aang's mantra.

"Jahn?"

The Avatar turned. The sliding door to the bedroom opened slowly as Tenzin poked his head round. The Airbending master was looking even older than before from his treatment at the hands of the Red Lotus, yet remained stoic and wise.

"There's someone outside who wishes to speak with you. I told him that you'd…are you alright?" he asked, catching Jahn's eye and frowning with concern.

Jahn was still. "I…yeah. I'm fine. We've all been through a lot. Maybe it's just catching up to me."

Tenzin slid the door shut and walked over. He sat on the edge of Jahn's bed and stared at the wall in thought. "We have. The Red Lotus yet again caused my family more grief and suffering, but nobody was harmed because of your actions. You acted like a true Avatar and what you had to do was your duty. Korra would have done the same. Both she and your mother would be proud."

Jahn nodded slowly. That was true; Korra did even more than he, as she risked her own life to protect the Airbenders. Jahn had not suffered much direct pain. Only his loved ones had.

"I miss her."

Tenzin sighed. "I know, Jahn. Times of hardship and strife often arise when we've lost someone close to us, yet it's how we deal with it and move forward into the future that determines who we really are. You kept fighting, even when most would have given up. That's the sign, not of a strong Avatar, but of a strong person."

"Thanks Tenzin. I'll try and keep a smile on my face," Jahn said with a forced smile.

The Airbender nodded. "That's all I ask. Sometimes all you need is a little hope that things will get better," he said as he left the room. His head appeared round the door once more as he remembered the reason for entering. "Oh, and the young man outside says he won't leave until he speaks to you. So please come and see to him, because he's really rather interrupting my meditation."

Jahn smiled for true and made for his clothes. Despite his good shape, it wouldn't do to be wandering around half naked.

The sun was setting, casting a brilliant orange glow over the island. The light shimmered and bounced off the teal ocean, which rolled gently onto the beach as the tide came in. Along the beach, lanterns were beginning to shine as the inhabitants prepared for the night. The dusk was quiet and peaceful.

"Avatar!"

'Well, it _was_ peaceful,' Jahn thought wryly to himself.

The loudmouthed offender was a male, around thirty years of age, with jet black hair and a stern face. He was an intimidating man, as wide as he was tall and covered in intricate tattoos that were by no means as attractive as the Airbenders' were. His voice wasn't as deep as his looks would suggest and actually had a strangely respectful tone.

The newcomer bowed low as he approached Jahn. The Earthbender responded with the same courtesy, cautious as to what he wanted.

"Avatar Jahn, it's an honour. My name is Sho-tahn. I heard about what you did in Republic City and in the Spirit World. I was part of the invasion force and saw you return through the portal," the man said with a crooked smile. One of his front teeth was missing, giving him an odd grin.

"Oh. Thanks. I wouldn't have been successful without Kazon and your army. It was thanks to you and the troops that the Red Lotus were removed from Republic City. You have my thanks too," Jahn responded, somewhat pleased at the positive turn of events.

Sho-than nodded respectfully. "In that case, may I ask a small request of you? Fighting for my nation has brought me more pride than I care to admit, but I have little moments in my life that stand out as being treasured memories. If it would not be too much to ask, may I train with you, just once?"

Jahn considered the request. In all honesty, he wanted to get started on his Airbending training once more and the sun was already setting. The man was sincere, however, and the reason for his request was a moving concept. Jahn knew the feeling; until he found out he was the Avatar, his life was steady but quiet.

"Firebending training? Isn't that an Agni Kai?" he asked.

Sho-tahn shrugged. "It can be. A duel against the Avatar would be a fitting memory indeed!" he exclaimed, excited about the prospect.

They made their way down to the beach and carved a rough perimeter in the sand. Both of them removed their shirts and Jahn rolled his eyes. He'd ended up half-naked on the beach after all.

Stances were taken. It was Jahn's first fight since the horrible incident with Scarlett in Republic City and he hoped he didn't mess up too badly. Or worse, lose control and hurt the man.

"Your move, Avatar!" Sho-tahn shouted, allowing the younger combatant to decide the flow of the battle.

Jahn sent a flurry of kicks into the air, sending fire streaming across the beach. Sho-than easily dodged the attacks and retaliated with a punch. Jahn rolled under the fire and kicked; a line of fire burst close to the ground. Sho-tahn jumped in the air, giving Jahn time to climb to his feet.

The older man descended quickly, fire billowing from his feet as he tried to crash into Jahn. The Avatar leapt to the side, narrowly avoiding Sho-tahn's full weight as he landed in the sand. His feet sunk deep and lodged there for a moment, allowing Jahn to kick at his opponent without him dodging.

Sure enough, the fire struck its mark and Sho-tahn toppled backwards with an "oof." When he regained his feet, he held his stomach with his left arm. "You've been taught well Avatar! But can you do this?" he asked, holding his right arm outstretched. Tiny flames erupted from his fingers, spinning through the air like minute missiles. One struck Jahn on the arm as he dodged and he felt the sharp sting as the fire singed his skin. The attack was smaller, for sure, but hotter than normal fire.

The temptation to Earthbend was considerable. Surrounded by sand, he knew he'd win the duel if he utilised it but the rules of an Agni Kai were clear. Fire only, until one of them couldn't fight any longer. He was also pretty sure the rules didn't allow the Avatar State. He'd have to outthink his opponent, as there was no way he'd win with brawn alone.

Sho-tahn had found his rhythm. He pushed Jahn back, step by step, with small actions that Jahn had to repeatedly block. If he kept this up, Jahn would forfeit in no time, and the firebender knew it.

The Avatar burst forward, propelled by fire, as he charged. Sho-tahn looked surprised but adapted well; his feet spread and his arms raised in defence. Jahn had hoped for this; standard firebending stances were taught in the military and whilst Sho-tahn had his nifty finger trick, he was a soldier and had a soldier's training. Every thought in his head said that Jahn was about to tackle him or kick when close enough.

Jahn did neither. He dropped to the ground and slid, the fire from his feet kicking up sand as he closed the gap. He couldn't sandbend, but it didn't mean he couldn't use it to his advantage.

Sho-tahn bellowed as the sand hit his face. His hands blocked most of the grains but this left him blinded and defenceless. Jahn lashed out with a leg, catching Sho-tahn's leg off-balance. The firebender crashed into the sand and Jahn jumped on top of him, determined to pin him before he could rise again.

Jahn raised both fists and a small flame hovered in front of both, signifying the threat. Sho-tahn was blinking the last of the sand from his eyes as he saw the Avatar leaning over him, pinning him to the floor with a knee and fists raised.

He'd won.

Sho-tahn gritted his teeth as he prepared to accept Jahn's victory. As much as he wanted to win, it was no real loss losing to the Avatar.

The victory was short-lived. Jahn's eyes, full of fire and the drive to succeed, suddenly burst into light. His eyes glowed intensely for a split second, before stuttering and flickering rapidly. Blue to white, blue to white. He shook his head and shouted as if in pain as he fell off the older firebender.

"Avatar!? Are you alright?" Sho-tahn asked in surprise. He hadn't meant to hurt the lad.

"Jahn!? What's happening out here?" came Tenzin's voice as the Airbender ran down the beach towards them. "I saw fire, are you hurt!?"

Jahn held his face tightly in his hands, shaking his head from side to side as if trying to shake off a leechworm. "Tenzin, I…." he said shakily, his deep voice echoing with the voices of all the past Avatars. He fell to the floor on his knees and looked up slowly. His eyes were once more blue and his face was pale.

Tenzin ran to his side. "You need to get inside. Now. Before this gets worse."

* * *

Jahn sat quietly as he stared out into the quiet night. A blanket was draped around his shoulders and he held a hot cup of tea in his tightly clenched hands.

He was scared.

Losing control to the Avatar State had happened before but only when he felt angry. So angry. This time, he hadn't felt anything except excited and it had almost flared up again. It had happened in the Spirit World too; nobody knew except him, but he'd struggled to keep it from hurting anyone whilst delivering the flute as well.

Sho-tahn had been fully understanding and promised to keep the incident a secret. The public could not know the Avatar was vulnerable, Tenzin had said, not after the recent invasion. Only his close friends would be told, so that they could be there for him.

Anik lay asleep on the bed behind him. He'd wanted to share a room with someone; he didn't feel safe being alone. Anik had been more than happy to oblige and had almost immediately fallen asleep on his own bed in the corner.

Jahn had stayed up. It was the very early hours of the morning, but he didn't feel tired. If anything, he felt on the verge of tears.

A soft knock came from the door.

"Come in," Jahn called quietly. He didn't want to wake his friend up.

A figure entered the room and shut the door behind them. Light on her feet, robes as billowing as ever, Jinora sat down next to him and stared out across the starry sky.

"It's the Soul Shaper. Ever since I took her energy, it's like I can't contain Raava's power," Jahn said, without so much as a hello. He knew Tenzin would have explained everything beforehand.

The Airbender considered this for a moment. "Raava's power will surely be the same as ever. Maybe it just untightened the bottle, so to speak?" she suggested.

Jahn nodded and clasped the tea tighter. She'd understood perfectly, as he knew she would.

Jinora looked sideways at him. "You need to stop being afraid, Jahn. Release the fear. Korra was terrified after she was poisoned but she eventually overcame it. It was a battle of willpower, not bending ability."

"That's great, but Korra never had a problem with this…power. She was amazing at bending," Jahn retorted.

Jinora smiled softly. "She was. But she was rubbish at the spiritual side for quite a while. She couldn't quite…be the leaf. It took all her experiences to mature and develop into a full Avatar and a lovely person."

The similarities in the statements made Jahn realise just how like her father Jinora actually was. He sometimes forgot that she was actually the granddaughter of Avatar Aang.

"Maybe once you understand Airbending and the spiritual side, it might help you control the Avatar State," Jinora continued. The silence was interrupted only by Anik's snoring from behind them.

A soft breeze blew over his bare feet, giving him slight goosebumps. If the night could be this beautiful, maybe not everything would be that bad.

"Thanks Jinora."

Jinora put her hand on Jahn's shoulder and gave it a quick squeeze. "Here to help. Although I'm afraid I'm actually here with some less positive news."

Jahn's heart sank. He had the worst luck with bad timings. "What?" he asked bluntly.

"There were reports…that the Red Lotus had infiltrated Taku," the Airbender said gently. She knew this news would only frighten Jahn and she wasn't wrong.

The cup of tea dropped. It clattered on the floor as Jahn twisted to face Jinora. "What!? Is everyone ok?"

Jinora nodded once more. "So we've heard. Reports have been sketchy; I'll hear back from Auri in the morning. She's posted there, so we can work out what to do when she-"

Jahn cut her off by standing up quickly. "No more waiting. Even if they're not in danger, it's past time I delayed this any longer. And if they are, then it's my job to go and save the town."

"Delay what?" Jinora asked.

"Going home."


	3. Different Paths

((You're hoping for less heartbreak and happy Avatar fun? Then you've come to the wrong chapter, my friend.))

Different Paths:

"This ship sucks. Can't we go back to the sun and the waves?"

"There are waves everywhere Anik."

"That's not what I meant. These waves aren't the right kind."

"The waterbender being picky about water? Now I've heard everything."

"Yeah, thanks Jahn. We could've flown but nope, the Avatar wanted to sail."

That wasn't entirely true, but Jahn knew Anik was still upset about leaving his holiday resort. They'd barely been there a week before Jahn had arrived and he'd immediately made arrangements to head to Taku upon hearing Jinora's news.

The ship they had acquired was a small vessel with quaint cabins. It could have been a fishing ship in another time but was now used as a ferry from the Fire Nation to mainland Earth Kingdom. The captain was a lovely elderly woman who was as thin as a stick and a stern face. Despite her demeanour, she was kind and more than pleased to help such esteemed guests.

It had been two days since they had left Ember Island. It wouldn't be long before they reached the mainland and then their trek to the town would begin. He hoped they would be in time to ensure no harm came to any of the people he'd grown up with.

Despite Taku's close proximity to Republic City, they had not wished to enter the City and travel from there. If the Red Lotus really were in Taku, news would spread quick of the Avatar's arrival. They needed to be fast and silent.

Auri had caught up with them that morning. She'd landed on the deck and secured her flightsuit as Jinora welcomed her. "Avatar Jahn," she'd said respectfully as she'd bowed. Auri really wasn't the best looking girl in the world but Jahn liked her; she was quite fun and still managed to take her job seriously. Sometimes he wished Jinora would be more like her.

"Auri. It's a pleasure to see you again," he replied with a smile.

"Of course it is," Auri had joked with a wink.

They all stood in the main cabin now. There was little room but they didn't need much. Tenzin, Bumi and Aana had taken Oogi, who was already far ahead of them. The bison needed frequent rest in his old age and yet they'd still rapidly outpaced the boat. Jahn sat with his knees to his chest beside Anik, who quietly sat banging his head against the wall in boredom. Jinora was in deep conversation with Auri about the goings-on in the world, whilst Kai stood Airbending a leaf around the room.

"Avatar?" asked a crewmember around the door. "We'll be arriving at the coast soon."

"Thanks," Jahn said with a nod. Looking at his friend, he raised an eyebrow. "Ready for a little trek across some mountains?"

Anik stretched with a groan and clicked his neck from side to side. "Anything to be off this thing. IT'S SO BORING!"

* * *

The coast was silent. The ship had dropped them off in an inconspicuous part of the beach and had sailed off towards Republic City.

Jahn, Anik, Jinora, Kai and Auri stood around, huddling close to Jahn for warmth. He'd created two flames in his hands to provide some heat as the sun had set not long ago.

"If it's all the same to you, I'm not going to stand around here and freeze. I've got my new mission so I'm heading back to Air Temple Island. It was nice to see you all again," Auri chuckled as she unclasped her wingsuit. Whatever she'd discussed with Jinora had clearly been urgent and Jahn could see through the bravado.

Once the Airbender was out of sight in the murky sky, the remaining four grabbed their bags and made their way up the beach. For Jahn, it was a surreal experience; the last time he'd been home, he'd been kidnapped by the White Lotus. Walking back as the Avatar just seemed…impossible.

"It won't be long until we reach Taku. Have you got any plans in mind?" Jinora said after a while to Jahn. They'd walked in relative silence for some time, brooding over the possible problems in the town.

Jahn shook his head. "No. I—uh, guess I'll just scout the place out and make sure there's nothing up. If I can find someone I know, the better."

Anik sniffed. "That's rather optimistic. What if the Red Lotus are waiting?"

"Hey, he's the Avatar," said Kai nonchalantly, "so he'll be fine. Right Jahn? You've got this."

Jahn rolled his eyes. Easy for Kai to say. That breezy confidence was enviable about now. Jahn was nervous; he wasn't sure how he'd be received when he returned home. Was it really even home without his mother? No point mentioning all this though; everyone would only think he was whining again. Earth Kingdom citizens didn't whine. They toughened up and got on with things.

"Anyway, Auri said there weren't any obvious signs of Red Lotus anymore so sounds like you won't be stopping long!" Kai said cheerfully.

"Unless there's a certain someone back home that he wants to visit?" Anik said, nudging Jahn's side with a wink.

It was Jinora's turn to roll her eyes. "Gentlemen, please. Jahn's private life is none of our concern."

The Avatar flashed her a quick smile as gratitude and carried on walking. He knew they were only teasing but Anik wasn't far off the mark. Kuvu was back home.

He turned around as he walked, facing the wrong way but continuing nonetheless. "Moving swiftly onwards, how's Republic City doing? Heard anything about the President situation or plans to fix all the damage?"

Jinora and Kai glanced at each other quickly. "Not much. Without a President, everyone's kinda just doing their own thing," Kai explained. His wife nodded with a peeved expression. "It's been a nightmare. Currently, the spirits have a far better system of governance than the humans do," she added.

"Is anyone attempting to take control? Or are you all casting votes for people?" Anik asked curiously.

"The latter," Jinora said. "I haven't heard of most of them so we'll keep an eye on it. The Air Nation are to help all people of all nations but we need to know what's going on in the world."

"Makes sense," Anik considered.

Jahn frowned. "Most of them?"

"Sorry?"

"You said 'most' which suggests you know some?" Jahn continued.

Kai nodded. "Yeah. Basically people can nominate a key figure in Republic City if they feel as though they'd represent their best interests. Raiko always did a good job and Cho was pretty useless. The people believe that someone a bit less…pompous might do well."

"And who better than the CEO of Future Industries?" Jinora said sarcastically.

Jahn sighed internally. Meeting the Airbenders was hard enough, given their fondness for Korra. Her last partner might be even more hostile towards him.

"She DOES have good people skills and her head screwed on. If she's voted in, she has no choice," Kai shrugged.

Jinora looked daggers at him. "But Asami doesn't want it. She'd rather continue with her company, to carry on her father's legacy."

The bickering continued for a while. Jahn regretted even asking the question and was sorely tempted to break the debate apart when he crested the edge of the mountain cliff and spotted a familiar sight.

"That badgermole statue! I recognise it! We're not far now!" he shouted excitedly. The sun was beginning to rise over the mountains, making the sky sizzle in bright orange hues.

"He recognises where we are from one little statue?" Anik said with a raised eyebrow as he watched Jahn jog off.

Kai laughed. "Apparently! Come on, we'd better catch up in case there's danger ahead. Remember, if it all kicks off, run as fast as you can in the other direction. Not that I ever do."

"Oh no, you're the epitome of courage," Jinora whispered sarcastically.

* * *

Home was different.

He knew it would be, but being here…

The town looked the same. It wasn't destroyed or occupied by hostile forces. It wasn't under siege or even had any changes to the infrastructure. The town, covering the mountainside and the surrounding areas, was the same as it had been.

It just…felt different.

It was quiet, for a start. They'd entered the town from the river which flowed down from the mountains. Jahn was quiet as he passed the spot where charred grass and broken ground showed the results of his first Avatar State. Even now, the area hadn't fully healed.

Even though it was still early morning, Taku was usually thriving. The market would start to bustle with activity and all up the hill, people would emerge and begin their day. The town had quickly become an economic hub to rival most towns across the Kingdom, with only Republic City being dominant.

So why was it so quiet?

They'd encountered a few people going about their business. Jahn didn't really recognise them but that didn't surprise him; nobody knew everybody. Jinora and Kai drew some glances, dressed in their Airbender garb, but beyond mild interest in those two, nobody recognised the party.

"If the Red Lotus were here, wouldn't those people be looking pretty damn scared?" Anik asked, pointing out the obvious.

"Although maybe they've set a trap and don't want us to know?" Kai suggested. It seemed the most plausible option.

"Jinora, can you sense any spiritual activity around? The Red Lotus may be throwing the town out of balance so if—" Jahn began, before he noticed Jinora was not paying attention. Her eyes were closed and she seemed almost to be asleep.

When Jahn frowned, Kai walked up and swung his arm over Jahn's shoulder. "Yeah, I get that too. Can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em. She's so impatient these days…" he murmured.

Jinora opened her eyes. "Nothing out of the ordinary. Maybe we should split up? A bit of mystery solving might help somebody get his head from out of his a—" she said, staring at her husband.

"I choose the market!" Anik shouted, bursting into life as he jumped on the spot with his hand in the air. "I need a new bag and maybe some clothes. Ooh, I promised mother I'd get her some souvenirs so maybe also…"

Jahn had heard enough. "Back here in an hour. If anyone finds anything, make as much noise as you can."

Kai winked again. "Yes sir, Mr Bossy. Cya in a bit, kid."

* * *

Jahn looked quietly at his old home. He was sat in the grass opposite as he used to do, once considering a life beyond the town. He wasn't sure if he liked the change or not. Change wasn't good or bad; it was just a weird kind of different.

The house itself hadn't changed much. He guessed people had maintained the outwards appearance. Maybe tourism might pick up if the house of the Avatar was still standing. He was kind of pleased by that; Taku had been his home for a very long time and he wished it well. But it was time to move on.

He could hear whispers around him as some of the townsfolk recognised him and chattered in hushed voices. Jahn didn't mind. A few of them he even recognised; shopkeepers, friendly strangers in the street and even old friends. As long as they didn't have a problem with him returning, he wouldn't have a problem with them.

Jahn stood up slowly and took one last look at his old home. There was nothing inside he would need or want and it was probably best as the doors were locked. He wasn't sure who had the key. When he turned to leave, he spotted a figure walking past another house nearby.

"Hey!" he called out, recognising the person as they disappeared from view. Jahn jogged over and turned into the street but the person was already far ahead. He followed quickly, hoping to catch up with them and get some information.

Jahn recognised the route as he'd often taken it himself when visiting his closest friend. An idea formed in his mind but he willed it away. Please, please say he was wrong.

"Saall, stop!" Jahn called again when close enough. The young man turned and his eyes widened as he finally noticed the Avatar.

"Jahn! I mean, uh-Avatar Jahn. I, um, I'm honoured you'd talk with me," Saall said hurriedly, bowing awkwardly.

Waving a hand, Jahn dismissed the formality. "You don't have to act silly with me. It's actually good to see you Saall," he said with a genuine smile. He hadn't realised how much he actually missed some familiar faces.

Saall blushed and stared at the floor resolutely. "With respect Avatar, I've seen your strength and I don't wish to anger you again. I apologise so much for what happened last time we met. Please forgive me."

Jahn frowned. What was going on here? "Are you alright? Last time was my fault so I'm sorry for that. It was an accident and I never really got chance to apologise before…y'know."

Saall looked up finally and caught Jahn's eyes for a second. "I'm sorry about your mother," he said sincerely. All the cockiness had vanished from Saall, making him rather more likeable, truthfully.

"So am I," came a voice behind Jahn. He turned and his heart plummeted as he looked at Kuvu.

"We all heard. I'm so sorry Jahn," Kuvu whispered. She looked stunning, clearly dressed up for some reason. Jahn could guess what; Saall had clearly been making his way towards her house.

"Yeah," Jahn said awkwardly. "It's good to see you."

There was silence for a moment. "Saall, could we postpone? I don't mean to—"

Saall nodded quickly. "It's fine. I'll see you later?" he said with a quick forced smile. He bowed slightly to Jahn and backed away.

Kuvu watched him go before turning her eyes to her old friend. "We didn't think you were coming back. Not after what happened. And then everything in Republic City."

Jahn looked at the sky, refusing to meet her eyes. "It's not exactly far. I could swing by anytime really."

Kuvu sighed. "But you didn't. Not once."

"That's why I'm here now."

"For me?"

Jahn closed his eyes. "Listen. Back at the river, when I…lost it. I'm so sorry you saw that. I couldn't control it and I'm so sorry you were in danger because of me."

Kuvu smiled sadly. "It's ok. I understand. You couldn't stop yourself. But I heard what you did in Republic City, Jahn. How you stopped the Red Lotus."

The Avatar looked at her quickly. "Are they here!?" he asked intensely, remembering the reason they were there.

"No. They were originally but some benders turned up and forced them out. They called themselves…I don't know, the Spirit Eaters or something. Jahn, they killed the Wise Seer."

Jahn's eyes narrowed. "They what? They killed the spirit?"

"Yes. They used some form of waterbending on it and trapped it. The Wise Seer just…disintegrated and turned into some form of energy. They used that to power up their bending or something. I didn't see it happen but we all heard the stories," Kuvu said quietly.

"But the Red Lotus are all gone? And you're all safe?" he replied.

"Safe from them maybe."

Jahn frowned once more. "Who else is a risk to you?"

Kuvu raised her chin and inhaled deeply. "You are."

Jahn was stunned. His best friend, his closest confident and his first ever love. Telling him that he was a threat to not just her, but the entire town. What!?

The earthbending girl didn't give him a chance to ask what she meant. She clearly expected his reaction and it seemed as though she'd been planning her next words for some time.

"We heard what you did. You killed that woman when you could have captured her."

"She was a threat to everyone! She needed stopping!" Jahn exclaimed in his own defence.

Kuvu shook her head. "Not good enough. The Jahn I knew wouldn't go wiping out people he didn't like. He'd care about who they were and try and find a way around the impossible."

Jahn took a step towards her but Kuvu backed away in surprise. "Kuvu, she killed my mother and was about to kill me too. I couldn't risk my friends' lives just to ensure her capture."

"You killed someone Jahn. It's like you're not even the same person. You've always been the Avatar but you were never…this. Never a killer."

Tears began to well in Jahn's eyes as he felt her pulling away. "Please Kuvu, I didn't have a choice. I'm not a threat, please don't-"

Kuvu began to walk backwards slowly. "I'm with Saall now, Jahn. You should know. Underneath all the bravado, he's a decent human being. But maybe you're the opposite. All the good things you've done doesn't make up for this."

Jahn couldn't understand. He'd known her all her life but one mistake ruined everything? He refused to believe that this was goodbye. The last time he'd seen her had been a bad way to say goodbye but this was even worse.

"Goodbye Jahn. I really am sorry," Kuvu said, before she turned the corner and disappeared from view.

Jahn fell to his knees, tears trickling down his face slowly as he stared at the grass. There really was nothing left for him here but he'd hoped…

Anik found him there in the grass half an hour later. Jahn was still staring at the nearest wall, clenching his hands tightly. Every so often, his eyes would splutter white before dimming rapidly. They flickered up to where Anik approached and Anik could see that Jahn was clearly more than upset.

The waterbender sat in the grass next to his friend silently and put a hand on his shoulder. They sat there for a few minutes without saying a word, before Jahn seemed to relax and his eyes focused once more, the bright blue irises finally dry.

"Come on buddy. Looks like there's no threat here. It's probably best if we get going," Anik said quietly.

Jahn sniffed and wiped his eyes with his sleeve. "Yeah, you're right. I've got something I need to find out," he said, surprising Anik. "We need to go to the Northern Water Tribe."


	4. Back on the Beat

((Hello Jahn fans! Thank you all who have posted reviews and messaged me with ideas and excitement, it means a lot! Just to let you all know, I aim for a new chapter to be uploaded every Wednesday and every weekend I shall be updating the cover photo with a new chapter title-card in the Avatar style, like the current one. Hope you enjoy these teasers and hope you enjoy the new chapter!))

* * *

Back on the Beat:

"Get me the Northern Water Tribe broadcast tower, now!" Jahn shouted down the hallway of the Air Temple. The Air Acolyte ducked her head back inside the room in shock as Jahn stomped down the hallway towards her.

He turned into the room and the three acolytes all stared at him in surprise. Jahn had kept to himself mostly since being at the Air Temple, so this sudden display of authority was out of character.

"Anyone actually have a brain in here!?" he exclaimed, hands thrown in the air in exasperation.

The acolytes all jumped as if shocked and began to fiddle with the various dials and switches in the Air Temple radio room. Tenzin had pointed out that simply radioing the Northern Water Tribe would be a far easier way to ask about the rogue waterbenders than flying all the way north. Jahn had begun to argue, only to realise Tenzin's point, so he'd stropped off upstairs to find the radio room.

Sir Varrick's investment into Future Industries had paid off in a big way. Together, he and Miss Sato had revolutionised all of Republic City's modern technology. The radios now had immense range and could effectively call anywhere in the world, if provided with the correct frequencies and password. Satomobiles were now considerably faster and safer than ever and all came fitted with a remotely controlled EMP in case criminals acquired one. It saved the Republic City police a lot of time and resources, earning him their begrudging thanks.

The billionaire was as eccentric as ever, according to Jinora. His marriage to Zhu Li had not tempered the idiotic ideas that seemingly sprung into his mind at random, yet he posed no danger to anyone anymore. Kuvira had flattened out that wrinkle.

Jahn had made it his mission to find out more about Avatar Korra's past friends before he'd gone back to the Spirit World. She had been loved by many, so he hoped that if he ever came to meet any of them, her friends would take kindly to his existence.

"Avatar Jahn, we can't actually seem to get it working…" one of the acolytes said apologetically, one hand scratching his hair in confusion.

Jahn frowned. "What? I thought this radio was one of the best in the world."

The acolyte nodded slowly, still scratching his head. He didn't reply and just stood standing there, staring at a dial.

Jahn slapped his forehead impatiently. He wished he knew about this stuff but technology had never been his strong suit. Otherwise he'd just sort him himself. "Is there anyone that can fix it?" he asked.

"Maybe Master Meelo knows something about it?" the acolyte suggested.

"That's helpful. I'll just magically fly over to the Eastern Air Temple and grab him, shall I?" Jahn said sarcastically.

The man pulled a face. "Alright, I was only suggesting. No need to be rude…"

The Avatar paused for a second. He rolled his eyes and sighed. "You're right," he said, forcing a calm voice. "I'm sorry but I really am in a rush here. Anything I can do?"

Another acolyte raised her head; the one from the doorway. "From what I'm gathering, this isn't just a normal power outage. Something's affecting the airwaves."

"Maybe it's all the Airbending?" Anik suggested as he walked past the doorway.

"Not helping!" Jahn called after him.

The female acolyte tied her black hair back and chewed on a hair pin as she thought. "I honestly don't know what it could be. I'd radio and ask if anyone else is experiencing the same but…"

Jahn nodded. "Got it. I'll ask around."

* * *

Kai scratched his neck awkwardly as the door closed in front of him. Turning, he shrugged. "Looks like it's not just us then. Every radio in this part of the city is down. Something's gotta be causing it."

His wife nodded. "I'd usually say that Meelo's been messing with it but he's obviously not here. Second guess would be Rohan but there's the same problem…" she said, twirling a hair round her finger as they walked away from the building and into the street.

Kai laughed. "You can't always blame your brothers. That's usually Ikki's job; you're the responsible one, remember?"

Jinora smiled. "Well, someone had to be. I don't think Dad would've been happy if we'd all turned out like Meelo," she joked.

Her husband cocked his head to the side as he considered that. "Ah, I don't know. He's really proud of you all, you know."

"I know. And I'm proud of us all too. I mean, look at what we've accomplished. The Air Nation has returned, stronger than ever. Grandpa Aang would be so happy," Jinora said, clutching her hand to her heart with a smile on her face.

Kai took that hand and clasped it tightly. "Yeah. And we have two beautiful kids too. We're not doing so badly really."

Jinora squeezed his hand. "I love you Kai."

"I love you too sweetheart. Ready to head back? We'll find out what the others found."

* * *

"Everywhere?"

Anik nodded. "Yep. Seems like the whole city is jammed. No radios anywhere, it's playing havoc with a lot of people."

Tenzin rolled his eyes. "I remember the days where people could get by without relying on all this technology…"

"Yeah Dad, so do I. It's only just become a thing," Jinora said with a slight grin.

Jahn was sat in the corner of the room, watching his friends closely. He hadn't told them about what Kuvu had said. None of it. Obviously he'd been more than hurt by her words but the news about the rogue waterbenders had immediately unnerved him. They'd killed a spirit he had known for years and had even fought off the Red Lotus with ease. He wanted to meet these so called Spirit Eaters and determine their purpose. To be honest, they sounded too much like the Red Lotus to not worry him.

Anik looked outside the window, watching a ship sail into the nearby docks slowly. "So how do we find out who's blocking the whole city's radio?"

Tenzin straightened up and stroked his beard once. "We need to visit the police. They should have an idea what's going on."

The group didn't take long to reach the Police Headquarters, having acquired a ride on Oogi, who had landed heavily in the plaza and almost immediately taken a nap. Jahn looked up at the massive statue of Toph Beifong as they walked past, recognising her face from memories he couldn't quite remember. Maybe they weren't his memories.

They waited in the main hallway anxiously as officers ran around them, obviously somewhat disorganised. Tenzin attempted to get the attention of a few but his efforts were futile.

"It IS funny though," Anik replied when Jahn pointed this out. Tenzin was clearly getting flustered, his usual calm demeanour in tatters.

Jahn glanced sideways at Anik, silently agreeing. As amusing as it was, Jahn wanted answers quickly. He wasn't about to let some evil group take over once more. That mistake had been made once and once only.

"Kai would know how to get someone's attention. He's far too good at it…" Tenzin grumbled, swishing his robes round in a huff. The Airbender had stayed at the Temple to spend some quality time with his daughter, leaving the others to investigate without the joker.

A door opened to their left and a man walked out, looking down at some papers. His uniform seemed very official and his slick black hair suggested a keen eye for order and propriety. The man made his way over to them but only looked up when he was a few feet away.

"Tenzin! Jinora!" he said with a smile, his amber eyes lighting up. His forehead wrinkled up and his face looked worn slightly, indicating the man was middle-aged. The documents were forgotten as he looked around at the group.

"Hello Chief," Tenzin said formally, raising his chin and standing tall.

Jinora smiled. "Come on Dad, no need to be so formal with Mako. Not when nobody else is listening in."

Mako nodded. "Usually I'd insist on formality for appearances, but it's been a few months. How've you all been? Actually, forget that. I don't mean to be rude, but we've got a lot on our hands at the moment."

Jinora looked around at the busy headquarters. "That's why we're here. We need the radio for something important but the City has completely lost all signal. Do you know what's going on Mako?"

The older man nodded. "We think it's something to do with the elections. The voting takes place tomorrow and all the candidates have been promoting themselves for a week now. Our intelligence suggests that someone doesn't want them to take place."

Tenzin made a tutting sound. Jahn considered Mako's suggestion and it seemed plausible. The elections were a huge deal in the City at the current time. "Who's currently in the public eye the most?" he asked.

Mako turned his golden eyes to Jahn and recognition fluttered across his face. "Avatar Jahn, it's an honour to meet you," he said, bowing slightly. He was polite but Jahn could see pain in his eyes. Mako and Korra had been very close and here he was, the next Avatar along, reminding Mako of his ex-girlfriend's death. Great.

The firebender straightened up and looked up as he thought. "Probably Asami Sato. Varrick Global Industries are backing her so of course Varrick's pulled out all the stops. Billboards, blimps…hell, he even made a mover about what a great President she'd make. It's only been a week since she was nominated. The man's a machine."

Jahn scratched his arm quickly, formulating an idea gradually. "So if she seems like the best bet to win these elections, surely it'd be her competition silencing any pro-Sato propaganda? And something we're all missing; who recently upgraded all the radios in the world and has the ability to shut them all down if necessary?"

"Future Industries…" murmured Jinora. "But why would Asami shut down her own campaign?"

Tenzin shook his head. "It's likely somebody's broken in and taken control. If they're in Future Industries Headquarters, they control a good portion of the technology in the City."

Mako slicked his hair back with his one free hand. "I'll get some officers ready. If you're wrong, this will look really bad on us, you know."

Jahn shrugged. "Afraid of a little bad press? Try being me…" he said glumly. "This is our best chance at working out what's going on here. Let's do it."

Mako nodded. "Alright."

* * *

The tower was many stories taller than the buildings surrounding it and was topped by a huge vertical antenna, which made the tower seem even larger. It was a dull gold colour, somewhat unique for a Future Industries building.

"That's Future Industries' Broadcast Tower. If someone's hacking the radios only, it's from there," Mako said as he pointed at the building. They stood in a street nearby, which the police forces had cordoned off to give them some privacy. Nearby residents peered round corners and out of windows in curiosity as to what was occurring.

"Why not just block them all from wherever they came from? Seems easier than breaking in to Future Industries," Anik asked, shrugging his shoulders.

Tenzin stroked his beard again, clearly deep in thought. Jahn found this habit amusing as it made Tenzin rather easy to read. The Airbender looked up after a few seconds and said, "Most likely to cover their own tracks. If they escape during our mission, then we'll have no clue about who sabotaged the company."

Jahn nodded. "Which is why we need to act fast. Get in, find them, fix the radios and out. Otherwise I won't find my answers and Republic City's elections will be delayed. The city's already grinding to a halt without radio signal."

"Technology…" Tenzin grumbled under his breath.

Mako turned to a number of officers nearby. The police had recently become more open to allowing different benders to join and they now had different squadrons, rather than purely metalbending officers. Beifong had been reluctant but she wasn't in charge anymore. It was Mako time.

"Scale the south side and enter through the seventh floor. Secure that and make your way up to the top floor and capture anyone you find. Set up a perimeter two blocks back in case anyone escapes and get an airship in the skies immediately in case they try to escape by air. We don't know who we're dealing with here," he ordered and the officers all saluted. "Yessir!" they shouted in unison and moved out as a group.

The firebender turned back to the others and gestured with his right hand. "We'll enter through the ground floor and work our way up. Control room should be on the fifth floor, according to our plans. We might have some security to fend off so try not to hurt anyone too badly."

Tenzin stepped forward. "Chief, I think you're forgetting than none of us are technologically experienced. What happens when we find the control room?"

Mako gestured once more, beckoning someone over. That someone was a girl, dressed in a strange golden-yellow tunic unlike any design from any of the four nations. Republic City inspired new, fresh ideas and clearly fashion was one. The girl had short, dark red hair and large hazel eyes. She seemed somewhat nervous as she approached but lifted her chin in an attempt to appear more confident.

"This is Tilia. She's been a civilian informant ever since the Red Lotus invasion and she's helped us clear up a lot of the aftermath," Mako explained formally. Everything he did was formal; Jahn actually felt less like a buzzkill with Mako around.

"Hi," Tilia said quietly. "It's nice to meet you all," she continued with a slight bow. When she straightened, she noticed Jahn and her eyes widened ever so slightly.

Anik clapped his hands together in delight. "Lifesaver!" he exclaimed. "It'll be great to have someone to gossip with! No offence Jinora…" he said awkwardly. The Airbender raised an eyebrow and looked less than impressed.

Tenzin pinched the bridge of his nose. "Anik, please. Let's focus on the matter at hand."

"If you can help me get to the right floor, I'll hopefully be able to sort everything out. I've been training with Future Industries for a few years now," Tilia explained. She didn't seem that old but the way she spoke gave away her actual age.

"You worked for Asami? Have you ever been in there before?" Jinora asked.

Tilia nodded. "Quite a lot. Miss Sato and I are quite good friends so I know my way around."

Jahn clicked his neck from side to side. "Shall we?" he said as he gestured extravagantly with one arm, face deadly serious.

Tilia blushed.

* * *

"Three, two, one….go!" Mako ordered. The nearby metalbending officers ripped down the metal doors to the building, revealing a darkened interior. High above and on the other side of the tower, more officers crashed through the windows.

"Strike team in. Let's move!" the Chief called as he ran forwards. A handful of officers backed Mako up, whilst Jahn and his group approached from the side. The police entered first and immediately moved through the ground floor but Team Avatar made for the stairs. They were somewhat ostentatious and spiralled up and around the interior of the tower, doorways to rooms on the inside.

"First floor, quickly!" Tenzin whispered as loudly as he dared. Whilst it was obvious that any intruder had heard the police forces entering the building, they couldn't help but try and stay as quiet as possible.

Jahn and Jinora led the group up the stairs, hands outstretched in preparation for an attack. Anik and Tenzin came next, followed quickly by Tilia. As a civilian, she had to be protected most. Furthermore, it appeared as though she was also a non-bender, making the entire situation even more troublesome.

"Door to the left!" Jahn shouted and made for it. The metal door was locked tight and wouldn't budge but Tilia didn't seem phased. "Fifth floor!" she called.

The group continued to move up the stairs, checking doors as they went. All were closed to them and by the fourth floor, Jahn was suspicious. "Shouldn't we have found someone by now?"

Jinora jogged to a halt. "Jahn's right. If there's anyone here, they'll be in the control room. We should scout it out and you three should wait here."

"If it's dangerous, then I'm coming with you," Tenzin began to say resolutely, before Jahn silenced him by shaking his head.

"No, Tenzin. Jinora's right, we'll take care of this. If we need help, we'll shout," the Avatar said before turning to climb the stairs once more.

The pair reached the fifth floor and immediately put their guard up as they noticed a door ajar, light spilling out of it. Jinora began to airbend, creating a breeze which slowly rocked the door fully open. Approaching cautiously, Jahn held two flames in his palms in case of attack.

The room was empty. It was huge, filled with consoles and various technical equipment. A chair lay on the floor near a curved desk which had clearly been vacated in some haste. Papers lay scattered everywhere and a low pitched whining just reached their ears.

"Safe!" Jahn called out the door and after a minute, the rest of the group entered. Anik looked around with a grimace on his face. When Jahn asked, the waterbender gestured to the walls. "Imagine working in here all day. No windows? It's like a jail. Who the hell designed this building? They need firing."

"I have to agree. Whoever Future Industries hired to build this place, they've not exactly made it like their other buildings," Jinora said as she nodded.

Tilia shrugged. "Someone I met a while back told me not to base so much on appearances. I was having some issues at the time…" she said before realising she'd perhaps said too much. She immediately clamped her mouth shut and turned to the various consoles and monitors lying all around the room. "Erm…anyway, I'll have a look at what's happened…" she murmured as she sat down in a chair that was still vertical.

Tenzin looked confused. "We still don't know who's caused this. Maybe we should look around again to make sure we're not missing anything."

Jahn nodded. "Someone stay with Tilia. I'll check further round; the police should have secured upstairs."

Just as he walked through the door, he heard noises from up the stairs. Turning quickly, he noticed a fireball rocketing down the stairway towards him. Blocking it with ease, he readied a stance but relaxed when he noticed Mako running towards him. "How'd you get up the-" Jahn began but Mako shouted over him. "Behind you!" he yelled.

A figure was running down the stairs in an obvious hurry. Not recognising the identity of the person in the relative gloom, Jahn launched into action. That must be the infiltrator. The Avatar slid along the floor, propelling himself along with a burst of fire. When he reached the stairs, he jumped into the air and two small jets of fire softened his landing on the bannister. Jahn used the fire jets to slide along the bannister, surfing down the metal railing quickly and eventually caught up to the infiltrator.

Jahn jumped sideways, hoping to tackle the mysterious figure to the ground. Instead of crashing into the person, however, he was met with two metal bands that wrapped themselves around his wrists and left him hanging in the air. The metalbender flicked their wrists back and Jahn flew off the stairs, dangling between floors.

The metalbender flicked their hands down.

The last Jahn saw of the figure before he tumbled through the air was Mako's fireball behind the enemy. The ceiling of the office below was fast approaching and he couldn't bend the metal away. Twisting around, Jahn yelled as he kicked out in desperation.

An air spiral burst from his flailing legs, spinning ferociously as he was softly lowered onto the office ceiling. Jahn opened his eyes just as his feet touched ceiling, amazed at the feat he'd just achieved. He kicked out once more and a swirl of air swished quickly before dying just as fast.

For the first time, he had actually managed to airbend.

* * *

"Well done, Avatar Jahn! You're well on your way to becoming an incredible airbender," Tenzin said proudly. The Avatar had been useless at his original training but maybe his experiences fighting the Red Lotus had assisted in reducing some of that Earth Kingdom stubbornness.

"Why now though?" Jahn asked, looking at his hands in curiosity.

Jinora shrugged. "Maybe you've learned to think differently? You're definitely more in touch with your spiritual side than before. Being in danger could have helped too."

Jahn rolled his eyes. "Yeah, because that hasn't ever happened before."

His friend pouted. "Well I wasn't going to say it, but maybe it's because you've finally let go of your old life back in Taku. Airbending IS the element of freedom, after all," Jinora said, watching Jahn's face drop slightly as she referenced his old home.

Mako approached from the side, hands clasped behind his back. "Yes, well done. If the criminal hadn't bothered with you, we wouldn't have caught him in time," he said with a smile, providing a useful change of topic.

Anik rolled his shoulders. "So it was just one guy? Man, talk about an anti-climax. It's hardly a hostile takeover, is it? At least Tilia sorted the radio mess out, hi-fives all round!" he cheered, holding one hand up. Nobody reacted and he looked around hopefully.

The Avatar looked up, suddenly alert. "They're working again? I need to radio the Northern Water Tribe," he said before making for the room. Inside, Tilia was fiddling with a dial, listening intently with one ear as she tuned it. When she noticed Jahn enter the room alone, she leant awkwardly on a stack of newly organised papers, which fell from under her and billowed out everywhere.

"Careful," Jahn said with a bemused expression. He grabbed a microphone and turned to Tilia, who was sat looking rather embarrassed. "Can you get the Northern Water Tribe broadcast station for me?"

The girl nodded. Within a minute, static could be heard from the radio. A voice picked up on the other end, somewhat distorted. "Hel…Republic…you there?"

"This is Avatar Jahn. I need to speak to someone in authority."

"Ava…why no radio sig…just hearing…."

"I'll explain later. Please put me on to the Chief or someone who knows stuff," he said urgently, realising just how stupid that sentence sounded.

There was a pause for a few minutes. When the voice came back, the signal had improved considerably. "Avatar Jahn. This is Chief Desna," came a deadpan voice. It held little emotion but the name sounded familiar. "What is the reason for this interruption of my ice-bath?"

"Ice-bath, really?"

Silence.

"Never mind. I've heard reports of rogue waterbenders that are killing spirits. Have you heard anything about them?" Jahn asked hopefully. He'd intended to sound less vague but he knew as little as he'd said.

A moment's pause. "No. I have never heard these rumours. If I do, I shall let you know Avatar," was the response before static once more filled the airwaves.

Tilia was watching Jahn closely. His face was hard to read but disappointment was prominent. When he turned to look at her, she matched his gaze. This was uncharacteristic of her. A little rude, wasn't it? Or maybe he didn't mind?

"After all this, I only got one answer," he said ruefully.

Tilia remained quiet. She did that a lot. People often just explained themselves, taking her silence as opportunity to keep talking. Before Jahn could continue, however, Jinora walked into the room. "Any luck?" she asked.

Jahn looked at the Airbender and then back at the handset in his hands. "I spoke with Chief Desna. He said he knew nothing."

Jinora sighed in exasperation. "Desna? Jeez. He was boring even when I was little. He's Korra's cousin and even she thought he was as dull as a rock."

The Avatar looked up. "He's also a liar. He knows something and I'm going to find out what."

Jinora looked curious but raised her hands as she spoke. "Whatever it is, it'll have to wait. Now we've fixed the radios, nothing's standing in the way of the elections. You'll need to be here to meet the new President."

"Great. Because I'm so well suited for politics," Jahn groaned sarcastically. "And the guy we caught?"

"He works for one of Asami's competition apparently. Mako's grilling him now so we'll find out more soon. Either way, no harm done," Jinora said with a smile.

Jahn chuckled. "Oh yeah, aside from a few hundred's worth of damage to the building."

"Oh. Right," Jinora said with a grin. "I don't suppose you've got some spare money lying around?"


	5. Engineering the Future

Engineering the Future:

The sun was yet to rise over Republic City. The horizon was a paler shade than it had been a mere hour before but no beautiful rays had yet covered the city in their luminous glow. Republic City, however, didn't sleep. The new day was vital to the city's future. Today, the citizens of the United Republic of Nations would vote in their new President.

Air Temple Island was the one place where silence reigned supreme. The resident Airbenders and acolytes were only just beginning to stir, the faint sounds of activity bouncing down the extensive hallways. For one, however, sleep had not come easy. The Avatar was restless.

Yesterday had been a puzzling day. He'd sought answers and yet gained only more questions. Despite the chaotic events, he was sure of his next step. After these elections, Jahn would find his answers at the Northern Water Tribe.

During the night, Jahn had awoken. Uncomfortable in his bed, he'd explored more of the temple. His extraordinary act of Airbending yesterday had pleased him more than he'd let on. 'Being the leaf,' or whatever that meant, clearly hadn't been his style. Jinora was right; he felt like a different person after everything that had happened. The boy that had gone into the White Lotus training compound to learn firebending was no more.

As he'd delved deeper into the temple, Jahn had turned his thoughts to the White Lotus. After the Red Lotus had all but destroyed the organisation, Zukoh had taken the remnants of the group back to the Fire Nation. Whilst they did not belong exclusively to any one nation, their official Fire Nation compound was considered to be the best place for them to recuperate and flush out any remaining double agents. Zukoh and Kazon had returned together with the Fire Navy and the loyal White Lotus. For all intents and purposes, the organisation was no more. For now.

Akirai had stayed in Republic City. When the Fire Nation army found her, she was in a bad way. Her sacrifice had very nearly killed her and she had not woken since. She remained in a hospital in the city, being cared for every hour of every day. Travelling was not an option. Jahn had requested they immediately send for him in case her situation changed. As aggressive and moody as she might be, she'd taught him firebending and Jahn hoped she recovered soon.

The hallways were curious. They twisted and stretched around and around in intricate ways. This wasn't surprising for an Air Temple, but Jahn did wonder why on earth Aang had designed it to be so difficult to navigate. Wandering around at night probably didn't make things easier, as Jahn could only see partially ahead of him, holding a flame out to light the way.

A huge ornate door had loomed out of the darkness. With Air Nation symbols on and three golden horns, it was too curious to ignore. Jahn's attempts to open the door were futile until a thought came to him. Airbending would clearly be the key.

To begin with, he found he could not replicate the feat. Despite the correct stance and movements, Jahn couldn't airbend. For a while, he was determined to try and open the door by any means necessary but failed every time. When he finally accepted it wasn't going to open, he turned away and gave the door a rather rude gesture with one hand. A gust of air had flown from his hand and up into the horns. It echoed as it bounced around inside and eventually, the doors creaked open. Staring at his hand in disbelief, Jahn had walked inside.

Statues lined the room. It had many tiers, spiralling up high and each statue was garbed in various clothes from different nations. The Avatars of old.

Jahn walked among them for a while, marvelling at the various incarnations of his past lives. There were so many, going back hundreds and hundreds of years. He continued around until he begun to recognise some familiar faces. Yangchen, Kuruk, Kyoshi, Roku, Aang and…

Korra's statue was impressive. Her pose was strong, her chin raised defiantly. She looked as though she were about to jump over him and begin bending all around the chamber. There was no fear in her eyes, just a resolution to get things done.

"Was it all this confusing for you too?" he'd asked the statue quietly. He knew he could speak to her directly if he meditated, yet felt a strong connection with her statue. "It's not fun being the Avatar. Then again, I guess some people don't find it fun being them either," Jahn had considered. Korra's statue obviously did not respond.

There was no way to close the doors to the chamber, so he left them open and awaited whatever scolding Tenzin saw fit to give him at breakfast. Jahn's wanderings took him back up to the ground level of the temple, where he'd ended up exploring the grounds.

The spinning panels were still standing, barely moving in the early morning breeze. The last time he'd tried those, it hadn't ended well. Aana's assistance had made him feel even worse.

Jahn closed his eyes and took a deep breath. The morning was still and he was alone. No pressure, just time. Time to think and time to practice. Earthbending was all about facing the problem head on and just dealing with it. The most practical solution was always the best. Firebending had taught him to consider different possibilities; instead of always being on the defensive, sometimes offence worked even better. Airbending required a totally different way of thinking. It was time to be the leaf.

He began to move his arms slowly in large, sweeping motions. Instead of concentrating, he let his mind relax and just enjoyed the movements. Back and forth, around and around, up and down. They were very different to the harsh, jutting movements required for earthbending but Jahn was surprised to find he rather liked it.

Jahn's eyes opened quickly as he suddenly realised he was Airbending. The flow of the air was steady and it was swirling around him in twisting patterns. Tiny specks of dust and little leaves were twirling with it, rustling in the current. Jahn grinned widely as he marvelled over the glorious sight; now THIS was worth all the trouble.

Turning, he thrust forward with one arm and the air billowed into the spinning panels, sending them spinning crazily. They clattered around rapidly, far too fast for anyone to make it through. Thrilled with his success, however, Jahn felt confident enough. He inhaled deeply once more and stepped forward, aware that it was likely to end in pain.

The panels were fast but his feet were quicker. Employing his firebending movements, Jahn found it far easier to navigate through the moving maze. He was once clipped slightly on his elbow but beyond that, he was untouchable. Within a few seconds, Jahn stepped forward and found himself free of the panels.

"I am SO the leaf!" he cheered loudly, only just noticing Jinora sat nearby, watching his progress. She had a large smile on her face but her expression was one of mirth.

"Ah," Jahn said awkwardly, lowering his arms. The sun was just beginning to creep over the horizon and the sky was considerably lighter. She'd clearly witnessed everything. So much for being aware of his surroundings; he hadn't even heard her approach.

"Enjoying yourself?" Jinora asked with a raised eyebrow and a smile.

"For once, yeah. I've had a bit of a breakthrough," Jahn responded.

The Airbender nodded, her dark hair bouncing forward slightly. "I can see. That's really well done Jahn. You've picked this up quite fast," she said with praise.

The Avatar shrugged. "Yeah, I got over the block at last. Takes me a while but I get there eventually. Although I struggled with it earlier this morning; it took me about twenty minutes to open that huge vault door," he said ruefully before immediately regretting it. He could have lied and made out some other Airbender went in. Great, time for a lecture.

Jinora just looked at him. "You finally found it then. What did you think? Grandpa Aang built it just like the one at the Southern Air Temple. It's up to date and we even have records on most of the past Avatars in that room, even some of the more elusive ones. For example, the firebender before Yangchen was called S-"

"I saw Korra," Jahn interrupted. "But that wasn't what got to me. Kyoshi, Roku, Aang, Korra, Jahn. Eventually, my statue will go next to hers and people will always remember me for what I am."

"Ah," Jinora said, understanding. She stood up and walked over to him, placing a hand on his shoulder as she said, "No, Jahn. Sure, people will remember you for being an important Avatar but for also being a kind, thoughtful man who puts everyone before himself. As well as stubborn and grumpy, I guess, although there's plenty of time to fix that."

Jahn laughed and looked at Jinora's eyes. "Thank you," he replied sincerely. They stood there for a moment before Jinora shook her head. "Erm, anyway, we'd best go get some breakfast. I'm already starving, how about you?" the Airbender asked hurriedly.

The Avatar nodded. "I'm always hungry. Seriously, it's like a problem. Think there's any of that bread in the store?" he asked as they walked back towards the temple together.

* * *

"So vote Faulkna today and make the United Nations truly united!"

"That's literally the least catchiest slogan ever. It's just…bad," Anik laughed.

Jahn shrugged. "Might work for the patriotic. Let's face it, after the Red Lotus, people could do with some assurances that they're not alone."

Anik pulled a face. "That's why you're here though! Saving everyone and then helping them get through it. _Together_ ," he emphasised jokily with a wink.

"What, by spending my time in here doing nothing?"

"Hey, we bought some cabbages from Cabbage Corp to help them rebuild. Of all the places, I literally don't know why the Red Lotus targeted there," Anik admitted.

"True. And you know, the whole radio thing yesterday."

The waterbender smacked his forehead loudly. "KNEW there was something else. Ah well, just show you're unifying the city! Or whatever he was on about."

The pair were sat around the radio, listening closely. Propaganda had been flying round for the entire week and now it was almost time for the payoff. Despite the continuous campaigns for all those running in the elections, Jahn had not yet heard any of the options. As he was the Avatar, it would be unfair for him to choose the next President but he too had the right to vote. Taku was technically within the United Republic and whilst many considered themselves to still be Earth Kingdom citizens, laws were laws.

"This is sounding good so far! She even got Shiro involved!" Anik exclaimed. Jahn blinked twice, only just coming to his senses. A new voice was emanating from the box; a voice which any pro-bending fan would recognise.

"…and even helped defend the city from attacks with Avatar Korra! Nobody has your best interests at heart like Asami Sato! That Satomobile you drive, that radio you listen to, those mechatanks that defend this wingdinger nation; all thanks to Future Industries! Asami Sato knows how to build better, bolder and brighter, so vote today! Asami Sato, Engineering the Future!"

Anik looked impressed. "Some good points there. Much catchier than the others'."

Jahn nodded. "Yeah, it wasn't bad actually. I'm sure Tenzin and Jinora will be pleased."

"I'm sure. So anyway, now we have a quiet moment without anything kicking off, wanna spill the beans and tell me what's got you so focused on all this water tribe hype? Not that we're not worthy. The opposite in fact," Anik smirked.

Jahn froze. He looked at his friend, who was frowning ever so slightly. Should he explain his actions? Or should the Avatar keep his secrets close?

"In Taku, I met a girl I know. Knew. I..uh…was close to her, before I found out I was the Avatar," he said slowly.

Anik sighed. "Ah, it's always over a girl. Or a boy, in my case. Either way."

"She…turned me down," Jahn said, cutting a long story short. "That's why I was in a bad way when you found me. But she told me…the reason the Red Lotus had vanished was because some people had arrived and defeated them already. A group of waterbenders calling themselves the Spirit Eaters, who destroyed our local spirit and used that power to drive them off."

"Spirit Eaters?" Anik whispered, sounding slightly horrified. "People are going round killing spirits?"

"Apparently. If so, they need to be stopped before the spirits become involved. We've all lived in peace since Harmonic Convergence but how long will that last if the spirits are being slowly destroyed?" Jahn asked. When spoke aloud, his worries didn't seem quite so insane. In fact, they sounded extremely important.

Anik nodded. "You're right. I get why you were so desperate to radio now. And you said Chief Desna was lying about whatever it was. Do you think he's involved?"

"Sounds that way. Could mean more trouble for the Water Tribes if that's the case."

"Well you know us, we take each new bit of trouble as it comes," Anik said with a worried smile.

* * *

The fanfare rang out as the crowds took their seats. The square in front of City Hall was packed with reporters, supporters and special guests. Team Avatar was in attendance of the event but two of the team were displeased about the ceremony.

"I hate this suit," Jahn complained, picking at the sleeves. "It itches."

"Stop complaining. At least you look smart; my tunic doesn't suit the occasion at all," Anik moaned about his informal garb.

"You both look fine. It's just your expressions that ruin your looks," Jinora joked.

The trumpets and horns died down, leaving an anxious silence as the crowd twitched in their seats. The Presidential candidates walked up on the makeshift stage in front of City Hall, waving and nodding to the crowd as they did so. It was a tough contest; there were five candidates and only one was female.

Asami Sato was, without a doubt, beautiful. Her hair was dark and lush, her complexion pale and her eyes bright. Her skin was almost flawless, marred only by slight creases by her eyes, suggesting plenty of laughter in her life. She held herself with great dignity, her back straight and figure unchanged for two decades.

"I hope I look as good as she does when I'm her age," Jinora said under her breath wistfully.

It was late afternoon and the votes were in. The United Nations had not taken long to vote, allowing the ceremony to take place a few hours before it was meant to. A special guest was meant to reveal the victor but there was no sign of whoever it was.

The next half hour was one of the most tedious Jahn had endured. Speech after speech, droning on and on. There was a real threat to stop out in the world but nope, his Avatar duties included sitting here listening to some idiot going on about how important cabbages were to the city.

"This is literally the most boring thing ever," Anik whispered by his side, making him grin. At least he wasn't suffering alone.

The current speaker showed no sign of finishing speaking, so Jahn rummaged inside his jacket pocket. The suit was handcrafted for him but he still hated the feel of it. Luckily, pockets were handier than a bag.

He removed a tiny spinning top from his pocket and balanced it carefully on his palm. With his other hand, Jahn made a small circular movement. The top began to rise in the air and span quicker and quicker, hovering over his palm as he delicately moved the air underneath it.

"You're picking that up quick!" Anik whispered loudly, making one of the women sitting behind him tut loudly and exclaim "shush!"

"How did you even get that in here? We're not allowed any items that could be potentially dangerous," Anik asked curiously. Mako had been very strict on the security for the event. No bags or items allowed, beyond the odd camera and paper to write on.

Jahn winked. "Because I'm the Avatar," he chuckled as he grabbed the spinning top from the air.

"And so, it is my great honour to invite our special guest onto the stage! Please welcome our first President, Raiko!" the speaker exclaimed.

Jinora, who had sat up in anticipation, slumped slightly. "Oh," she groaned, pulling a face.

Jahn thought better than to ask about her reaction. The woman behind was watching them closely and he could feel her eyes on him. Speaking was out of the question now.

The man who walked on stage did so with a limp and the help of a cane. His hair now grey, Raiko was getting old, but he looked less stressed than ever. Tenzin remarked as much when he quietly leaned in towards Jinora and whispered, "He's actually looking happy. Retirement suits him."

"Thank you. As your first President, my goals were always to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all the citizens in the United Nations. Many threatened our great City but all were repelled," Raiko said, his voice strong and clear. "Over the years, I strived to make our Nation a place for all to live in peace and for a long time, it was. Clearly, our last President was less than desirable," he muttered, clearly displeased with Cho's term as President, "but now it is time for a new leader to help shape the future of the United Nations and Republic City. So without any further pomp and ceremony, I shall declare the results."

An envelope was handed to Raiko, who unfolded it carefully. The candidates all shuffled their feet and looked at each other nervously. The crowd watched with breath held. All across the United Nations, people were listening in on their radios and watching on their live mover-boxes.

"Ah. It is my honour to announce your new President, with an outstanding sixty-three percent of the total votes. Please step forward, President Sato."

The crowd erupted into noise. Tenzin and Jinora both leapt into the air, cheering and clapping loudly, whilst Anik and Jahn stood up quickly, clapping and whistling. The other candidates all relaxed, applauding Asami as she stepped forward to the front of the stage. She shook Raiko's free hand as the crowd continued to cheer, before finally stepping up the microphone.

When the crowd settled, she tapped the microphone delicately. "United Nations. It is my great pleasure to speak to you as your new President. Many of you know me as the CEO of Future Industries and many of you still know me as the old girlfriend of Avatar Korra," she said, clearly somewhat peeved by the latter point. "Regardless, my past is now no longer important. I look to the future, to all of you, to ensure that this nation continues to improve and expand. Future Industries will of course assist in this endeavour but I shall not be stepping down as CEO just yet," Asami announced, surprising the crowd. "I shall of course put one-hundred and ten percent into my role as President but I have some personal matters to attend to first. I very much look forward to working with you all and thank you very much to Sir Varrick and everyone who supported my campaign, as well as anyone who voted. I will make you all proud," President Sato said, waving to the crowd.

"She's quite impressive," Jahn noted.

"Korra and Mako both thought so," Tenzin commented dryly.

"SHH!" the woman behind hissed, causing Tenzin to turn around quickly, his eyebrow raised in offence. The woman immediately recognised the Airbending master and shrank in her chair comically. Tenzin turned back to the front, a smug expression on his face whilst Jinora rolled her eyes.

* * *

Asami's new office was spacious and extremely comfortable. Anik lounged on the sofa, one leg hanging over the arm lazily as he sipped a glass of water. Jahn sat more formally in a single chair near the desk, unsure of when President Sato was to arrive. He wanted his first impression to be a good one. Jinora was inspecting the bookshelf nearby but Tenzin stood looking out of the window stoically.

The doors to the office opened and Asami entered, followed by three or four assistants. She waved them away as she noticed the group in her office. A smile lit up her face as she recognised Tenzin and Jinora, embracing them both in turn as the assistants closed the doors as they left with ugly expressions on their faces.

"Tenzin, Jinora, it's so good to see you," Asami said genuinely. "It's been, what, a couple of years? We really should meet up more," she continued with a smile.

"I doubt you'll have time now, President Sato," Jinora said in a cheeky tone, clearly pleased. "Well done on your victory!"

Asami brushed a strand of hair from her face in a casual manner. "Thanks. I wasn't sure I'd win but I guess Varrick's backing actually helped. Who knew?"

"Yes, well done Asami. Although we're not here just to congratulate you," Tenzin said formally. "This is Anik," he motioned to the waterbender, who'd stood up and bowed. "And this is Avatar Jahn."

Jahn inclined his head slightly, unsure of how to act. Best play it cool.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Jahn," Asami said, bowing herself. That wasn't expected; the new President was giving him the honour here.

"Likewise. I, uh, know about your close past with Korra. I don't know if you heard but…" he began awkwardly but Asami smiled at him, making him pause.

"I heard. That spirit had made her ill and you destroyed it. You have my whole hearted thanks for that. Although what's past is past. You're here now, and the world needs the Avatar," the President said wisely.

"That's kind of why I'm here," Jahn said. Tenzin and Jinora were in the dark but it was time they heard his worries too.

After he'd explained the situation, considerably better than when he'd told Anik, there was a short silence as they all considered his words.

"You were right to be worried, Jahn," Tenzin said eventually. "Dark spirits are often a blight on our society but if normal spirits are being harmed…"

Asami nodded. "Korra taught me enough to know that it won't end well. The spirits are unpredictable and they share our world now. I think I speak for all the leaders of the Nations when I say that it will end in chaos if these Spirit Eaters are not stopped."

"Jinora's right there, you know," Anik quipped before realising who he'd spoken to. He looked mortified but Asami shrugged the comment off.

"You're right. Jinora, what do you think?"

The Airbending master brushed her hair with one hand as she thought. "We need to figure this out. I haven't detected any spiritual unrest but if Jahn believes it's a problem, then so do I. I hate being away from Aana for so long but our best bet is to investigate the Northern Water Tribe for this group."

Tenzin put his hand on his daughter's shoulder. "I'll stay here and look after her. We might even go to the Eastern Air Temple and visit her brother," he said with a soft smile, causing his daughter to hug him quickly. "Thanks Dad," she whispered.

"I can lend you an airship to travel there, along with the crew to pilot it. You'll be special guests of the new President," Asami said, swishing her hair as she grabbed a document from her desk.

Jahn looked around. "Brilliant. Just us three then?" he asked rhetorically.

Asami shook her head. "I'm afraid not. I need to ask a favour; if this is truly a threat then I would have a representative along with you that can report back. I want to keep on top of this," she said as she handed the file to Jahn. The doors to her office opened as she finished talking.

"How did you do that? You didn't even gesture!" Anik exclaimed in amazement.

A young woman walked into the room and waved shyly to the assorted individuals in the office. "This is my assistant Tilia. She'll be going with you. I heard you might already have met?" Asami said by way of an introduction.

Tilia nodded. "Hi again. So, when do we leave?"

Jahn looked down at the document, his face serious. "Tonight."


	6. A Frosty Reception

((Hi all! I've been very busy lately so I've only just managed to finish this chapter minutes before I've uploaded it. I hope you enjoy, as it was a pain to write this one! Although now events are moving quicker and quicker, so the Spirit Eaters may not stay hidden for long...))

* * *

A Frosty Reception:

Flashes of light, a cacophony of sound. The images were confusing, melded and distorted. Faces, elements, spirits, words. All combined in an explosion of senses.

It slowed, slowed, slowed. Faces became more obvious, the words they said more distinguishable. An assortment of memories but none were his.

A female face, beaten and bruised, with glowing white eyes. She was angry, fighting an opponent with glowing red eyes. A dark tendril in her face, golden light dragged from her eyes and mouth. The scene swirled and vanished, immediately replaced with the same girl in chains, glowing eyes and furious screams. The man on the ground was startled, afraid. He flew into the air and the girl followed, unable to control her actions.

A sphere of air, close and choking. A feeling of immense panic and despair. Changed to fear, afraid of the girl with glowing eyes in chains, haunting her around the world. It was a phantom, a shade. It was her.

The terror was overwhelming. Muddy tendrils wrapped round her leg, HIS leg, dragging them down, down, down.

A voice from afar, panicked and alarmed. "Jahn! JAHN!"

Darkness folded in. They could not escape the clutches of the mud, the poison mud...the end was near, it was over…

"JAHN!"

The Avatar woke and sat up quickly, panting heavily. Covered in a cold sweat, Jahn looked at his palms and noted he was shaking. He felt on the verge of tears, unsure of what had just happened. Looking around, he noticed Jinora in the doorway. Her eyes were wide, hands outstretched in peace.

"Are you alright!?" she said in a hushed voice.

Jahn didn't reply. He felt strange, as if he wasn't in his own body. He turned his head and caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror on the wall. Jahn's eyes were glowing intensely, lighting up the room and the hallway outside.

He blinked and inhaled deeply. When he looked back, his eyes were fading and the strange feeling was diminishing. Jinora seemed to relax slightly, aware the danger was passing. She made over to Jahn's bed and sat on the end of it, looking at him with sympathetic eyes.

"I…how'd you get in here?" Jahn asked at last. The door to his room was wide open and only he could open it from inside. He'd been asleep though and definitely hadn't let Jinora in.

"You must have bent it open," Jinora whispered.

"I can't Metalbend though."

Jinora shrugged. "You were in the Avatar State, Jahn. Any of the past Avatar's skills are available to you and Korra was the first Metalbending Avatar. It must have been accidental."

The thought made Jahn grow cold. The room he was asleep in was one of many on the airship, full of crew and passengers. If he accidentally used Metalbending again, he could take the entire airship down without even waking up.

"I was on my way over here when I sensed a huge spike in spiritual energy," Jinora explained quietly. She seemed a little shaken by what she'd seen but it was nowhere near what Jahn was feeling. "I shouted through to make sure you were alright and then the door opened. Your eyes were wide open, I thought you were hurt."

Jahn shook his head. "No, I'm fine. Just a bit shaken. I think it was because I had a weird dream. I think I saw Korra, but I'm not sure what she was trying to tell me. Why didn't she just tell me normally instead of freaking me out? She knows I can't control the Avatar State…"

Jinora frowned. "What did she show you?"

The images were fading from his memory now but the one thing he could remember vividly was the continuous glow. "She was in the Avatar State, fighting a few enemies. I think one was herself?" he said, questioning the idea.

"Ah, I think I understand. Korra's trying to show you that you're not the first Avatar to have some problems with the Avatar State. Korra could use it fine but anytime she did, something horrible happened," Jinora said in reply. "Korra was almost killed by the Red Lotus and she was terrified for a long time afterwards. She had poison still in her body but it was a mental block that prevented her from recovering. It's all in your mind, Jahn."

Jahn swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood up. He didn't mind Jinora seeing him shirtless, given the current conversation. "It might be, but I can't risk it."

"You'll have to eventually."

"Maybe. Not anytime soon though. Are we at the Tribe yet?" Jahn asked, hoping to change the topic.

Jinora nodded. "We'll be touching down soon, which is why I came to find you. Do you have any winter clothes?"

Jahn shook his head. "I'll get something when we land. Thanks, by the way."

The Airbender smiled slightly. "You're welcome. I'll see you on the bridge later? The Captain wants a quick word when you're ready." She stood and with one last look over her shoulder, she left the room.

Jahn exhaled with a huge shuddery breath. He clasped his head in his hands and squeezed his eyes shut. For a moment, he was still, before Jahn straightened up. "Thanks for that Korra," he said sarcastically to himself. If only he could still talk to the other Avatars. One of them would have some advice, surely. Were it not for the Avatar State's constant flux, it might just be possible.

* * *

The snow was falling thick and fast as the ramp lowered onto the roof. The Waterbender guards all lifted their arms, causing huge columns of water to rise and attach to the rails underneath the airship. The guards swished their arms sideways and the water froze instantly, securing the airship in several icy anchors. The guards all stepped back, pleased with their group work.

The door at the top of the ramp opened slowly, spilling light outside. It bounced and gleamed off the falling snow, creating a glimmering, flickering display. It was through this light show that Team Avatar emerged into the Northern Water Tribe.

"Ah, it's good to be home," Anik said with a great breath in. His hair was almost indistinguishable from the snow but his deep blue Water Tribe clothes helped him stand out. Jinora seemed just as warm in her thicker Air Nation robes, lined with Sky Bison fur that had clearly been shed by Oogi or one of the others. Tilia had nearly vanished under the many layers of coats she had taken from Asami, all plastered with the Future Industries logo. Meanwhile, Jahn was wearing his usual clothes.

"Oh sweet badgermoles, it's freezing!" he exclaimed, surprised at how low the temperature was. People had built a city HERE!?

"You're literally an idiot," Jinora replied as she walked past him casually.

Jahn ignited a flame in his hand but even that small warmth was no assistance against the raging snow. "Ok, I was wrong, I need new clothes," he admitted.

"I know the best store in this side of the city," Anik grinned. "I'm sure they'll be happy to assist the Avatar in, you know, not freezing to death."

"Le..lead the way," Jahn said, shivering slightly.

They made their way down the roof and entered the building from the top. It was considerably warmer inside, a far cry from the harsh weather outside. A small elevator took them down to the atrium of the hall, which was a considerably large building. As they landed, they had spotted another smaller airship taking off. An airport.

Once they stepped off the metal elevator, a figure made her way over to the group. She was short but had a good posture. Small glasses sat on her nose and she held her hands behind her back formally. "Avatar Jahn, it is my pleasure to welcome you to the Northern Water Tribe. If you would please register your airship at the main desk, a hotel has been reserved for you and your friends whilst you stay here, courtesy of Sir Varrick. He sadly cannot be with you today but wishes you well."

"Erm, thanks. We hopefully won't be staying long though. The Captain told me he didn't want to wait around more than two days whilst this snow was falling," Jahn replied.

The woman shook her head, a frown on her face. "I'm afraid there's a storm approaching. You won't be able to leave for a few days now."

Anik tutted, causing Jinora to shush him. Tilia simply looked awed by the entire building, craning her neck to glimpse every detail. The architecture in the Northern Water Tribe was considerably different to Republic City's.

"Right. Great. In that case, we may as well get settled in," Jahn considered glumly. "Anik, do you want to take Jinora and Tilia to this hotel? I can find my way to you all after."

"Why, where're you going? Off to get a coat at last?" Anik asked with a grin.

The Avatar shook his head. "No. Well, not yet. I need to go and speak to Chief Desna about a radio call."

"Try not to freeze!" Anik shouted after him as Jahn walked away. The Waterbender turned back to the others and clapped his hands together with a smile.

"A hotel? I thought we were staying with the Future Industries airship…" Tilia said quietly.

Jinora shrugged. "We may as well take Varrick up on his offer. Knowing him, it'll be worth any hassle."

Anik nodded. "If it's the one I think it is, I've always wanted to visit. Plus, it's on the other side of the city to…well, anyway, we should get a move on," he said, following Jahn out.

Tilia looked sideways at Jinora as they followed. "What's that about?"

"He split with his boyfriend a while back. I think he's hoping to avoid anything that reminds him of him," Jinora said wisely.

"Oh, that's a shame. Anik seems like someone who needs someone," Tilia said sadly, causing Jinora to glance at her with a curious expression.

The weather outside hadn't improved in their five minute rest inside. The sun had only just set, leaving a horrendous chill in the air. People were still going to and fro, however, suggesting the city was almost as busy as Republic City itself. The streets weren't straight like Republic City's, instead swirling around like water. Smaller ice bridges lined the street overhead, a direct crossing point between building walkways. The Northern Water Tribe had grown a considerable amount since the days of Avatar Aang.

"So, I think it's this way…" Anik said, sounding rather unconfident. The two women shared a look but remained silent.

Tilia continued gazing around but was clearly aware of Anik's poor sense of direction. "You think?"

"Hey, look, I don't know my way around everywhere. I spent all my life on the other side of the city; I never even realised this airport was here," Anik admitted as they wandered round.

Tilia chuckled, making him turn around, eyebrow raised. "So you were lying about the store as well?"

Anik looked away quickly, clearly blushing. To his immense delight, a distraction presented itself to spare him responding.

"OI, thief!"

Anik turned quickly and spotted a young boy running towards them down an icy street, clutching something to his chest. He looked somewhat dishevelled and ran with a slight hop, as though he was running on a bad leg. A couple of citizens tried to grab him but to no avail.

"Whoa there little buddy!" Anik shouted, swiping with his arms. The snow around swirled rapidly and grabbed the boy by the waist, stopping him in his tracks with a solid snow anchor. The package in his hands fell to the floor, prompting the boy to reach out in desperation.

"Hi there," Jinora said with a smile as she leant down to speak to him. "Why're you stealing from that shop?" she asked sweetly.

The boy stayed silent but threw her an ugly look. He continued trying to reach for the package but Anik went for it first. A small snow pillar rose from the ground slowly and Anik took the parcel when it was at chest height. "Let's see what's worth causing this trouble for…"

A tiny golden item fell from the wrappings and made a soft landing in the snow. Tilia picked it up and smiled, clearly impressed. "A tiny watch. It's beautifully made," she said, listening to it tick.

"I'll ask again. Why were you stealing this watch?" Jinora asked, slightly more sternly than before.

A torrent of water suddenly crashed into her side and knocked her off her feet. Jinora landed in a snow bank at the side of the street, clearly dazed by the sudden attack. Another stream flew at Tilia but she sidestepped it with ease. Anik craned his neck to glimpse the attacker, who appeared to be a man running towards them.

"Leave him alone!" he yelled loudly, launching icy spikes towards the group.

Anik stepped forward and caught them in mid-flight. Elegantly twirling his arms, he shifted his right foot forward and gestured; the spikes melted into water, which span back at the attacker in flailing whips. The man ducked and weaved through most of them but one caught his leg, tripping him. Before he could hit the ground, water rose from the floor and froze him in a falling position, with just his head and hands showing.

"Calm down!" he yelled. "Tilia, please see if Jinora's ok," Anik asked the younger girl, before turning to the offender. "Who are you? We're not hurting the boy; he stole something so we're just stopping him."

The man looked from Anik to the boy, who looked down quickly as if embarrassed. "Is this true? Iluq, look at me!"

"No. Yes. Maybe."

The man sighed deeply and looked up at Anik. "Oh no. I'm so sorry, I thought you were harming my boy. My name is Onartok. I'm very sorry for attacking you like that and if you let me out of this, I promise I won't do so again," he said sincerely, his hands flapping as if to signify a peaceful surrender.

Anik nodded. With a gentle movement of his arms, the ice retracted into the ground and the man climbed to his feet. He was wearing similar clothes to Anik, but his hair was jet black and tied in a single ponytail.

"Could you release my son too? I'll make sure he doesn't run off again," Onartok asked, his face half shame and half irritation.

Jinora walked over as Anik released Iluq. The boy brushed himself off and made for the watch but Anik simply held it above his head. His father grabbed him by the scruff of his jacket and shook him slightly. "You're in big trouble. I'm returning that watch and then we're going home. We need words mister."

Iluq's face fell and his lip began to quiver. "But mother said you needed money and I wanted to help…"

Onartok's face softened slightly. "Not like this, son. We'll make our own way, we don't need to steal," he explained softly. "Sorry about that Miss," he said to Jinora as she stood watching. As he straightened up, he noticed her clothes and tattoo and his eyes widened.

"You were protecting your son. I'd do the same for Aana," Jinora conceded, rubbing the back of her head.

"You're Jinora, right? Tenzin's kid? I met you when you were very little in Republic City," Onartok said with a smile. "You won't remember me but I remember that day quite well."

Jinora inclined her head slightly. "Nice to meet you."

Onartok looked around at the mess they'd made in the street. "Hey, can I make this up to you three? What if you come and warm up at my house? It's not far; I'll just have to take this back first," he said, looking at the watch.

Anik nodded as he handed it over. "Sure. I've just remembered why I preferred the Spirit World to here; no damn snow."

They made their way down a few streets, led by Onartok who had a firm grip on his son, who squirmed the entire way. They walked in relative silence, casting long shadows from the lights lining the streets. Jinora kept wiping patches of snow from her robes, exhaling through her nose as she did so, as if every bit was personally offensive to her.

"Ah, here we are. Please, come in and make yourself at home," Onartok said, stopping before a very small building which appeared to be an annex of a larger one to the side. Opening the door, he almost threw his son through first and gestured with an arm, allowing them all to enter.

The building was tiny. It was made up of three small rooms, divided by crumbling white walls. The main room included the kitchen, which was crammed into one corner. There were barely any decorations on the walls and the inside seemed almost as cold as the outside.

Sounds could be heard from a room towards the back, indicating another person inside. "Oh, just my wife," Onartok said when the group looked speculative.

The woman that emerged was curious looking. Her dyed red hair was cut short and was rather obviously forcibly curly. The colour didn't suit her face, which seemed bored and somewhat sad. As she walked in, she looked at her husband first and a faint smile flickered on her lips. Her eyes then moved to Anik, Tilia and finally Jinora, before recognition set in and the smile immediately died. "Oh. Hello again," the woman said in a monotone voice.

Jinora's eyes widened. "Wait a minute, it can't be…Eska!?"

* * *

The Chief of the Northern Water Tribe shook his head, causing his shaped black hair to swish slightly. "I'm afraid not. We cannot afford to give your citizens priority status even when…"

The doors to the throne room opened slowly, causing an ominous booming to echo around the giant room. An elderly man walked in quickly and bowed, despite being at the other end of the room. "Chief Desna, sir. Uh…the Avatar is here to see you. He says it can't wait."

Jahn didn't wait for an introduction. He marched past the servant and strode the length of the throne room in seconds. As he approached the throne itself, he noticed another person stood nearby, having clearly been in conversation with the Chief before he'd entered.

Kazon turned with a big smile. "Jahn! Good to see you again!" he said cheerfully.

"Oh. Hello Prince Kazon. What're you doing here?" Jahn said, thrown slightly by his appearance.

Kazon shrugged. "Discussing some foreign policy matters with Chief Desna."

The Chief of the Northern Water Tribe was watching Jahn with dead eyes. He looked tired and lines had begun to show on his face already. "I could ask you the same question, Avatar," he said in a monotone voice.

Jahn stared back at Desna, refusing to be intimidated. "We need to talk about that radio call."

Silence for a second. Desna closed his eyes and relaxed slightly on his throne. "I'm afraid I don't know what you are talking about. Please, in the future, refrain from walking into my throne room with such…bravado."

Jahn frowned. "Let me jog your memory then. I asked about the Spirit Eaters but you were lying, I could tell. You need to tell me what you know," he said imperiously with a pointed finger at Desna.

Kazon looked concerned. "You've heard of these Spirit Eaters too? We've had reports in the Fire Nation about them."

"What?"

Desna opened his eyes and leaned forward, looking ever so slightly smug. "See? I told you, Avatar. These 'Spirit Eaters' are not of Northern Water Tribe concern."

Jahn's arm fell as his confidence shattered. He'd been so sure the group had been operating from here but if they'd been in both the United Nations and the Fire Nation…

Kazon walked towards him and put a hand on his shoulder as they faced Desna. "Come on Jahn, let's go discuss this elsewhere. Chief Desna, thank you for your time. I hope to resume this conversation at a later time," he said formally.

Desna nodded. "Likewise, Prince Kazon. I eagerly await that time," Desna said in a tone which suggested no such eagerness.

They turned to leave, Jahn still thinking rapidly about the next place to investigate. Before they even made it four steps, however, Chief Desna stood up.

"Avatar. My cousin was Avatar Korra. We once fought over the fate of the world and I was the victor. I have ruled the Northern Water Tribe ever since she destroyed my father and I do not appreciate people walking in and ruining my city after I have spent so long ensuring everything is perfect," Chief Desna said with a slight frown. "If you cause any trouble whilst you are staying here or investigate this myth you have apparently made up, you shall be arrested and banished, Avatar or not."


	7. Breaking the Rules

Breaking the Rules:

"What are you doing here? You have a son? What?" Jinora asked quickly, clearly confused. Even Anik seemed astonished, standing with his mouth open as he recognised the ex-Chief. It was left to Tilia to ask about what was going on.

"Who's Eska? Sorry, I meant, who are you?" she asked the woman, ignoring Jinora's questions.

Eska didn't reply. She looked from Anik to Jinora to her son, who ran over and gave her a hug. She patted Iluq's head gently and half-returned the hug with one arm.

Anik finally came to his senses. "She's Chief Desna's twin sister and one of our Chiefs for a very long time. Everyone thought you'd left forever…"

"Oh, THAT Eska!" Tilia exclaimed, finally understanding.

Jinora nodded in agreement with Anik. "How long has it been since you left, Eska?"

"Five years. I had just given birth to my little turtleduck here. Desna was less than pleased that I was dating a commoner," she explained in her emotionally devoid voice. Her husband raised an eyebrow but remained silent at her comment. "We argued. It is nothing new. He thought he should be priority but I chose my family. I left the throne to be with them."

"But you were always so close to your brother," Jinora said with a sympathetic frown.

Eska nodded. "I was. When our father was driven to destroying the world, Desna was the one person I could trust. He cared for me and I him. As we grew up, that trust began to break down. Eventually, he threatened my family. I could not harm him, so I did the only thing I could. Starting a new life is not so bad."

"Why the red hair?" Anik asked.

Jinora tutted loudly. "Anik, priorities."

Eska shrugged slightly. "It helps to stay unrecognised. I do not wish anyone to know where I am or they may try to force me back. That is why this house is so…small. We do not want any help. You must not tell Desna where I am."

"We won't; we nearly got lost just getting here," Tilia said with a smile.

Eska turned her eyes on her. "I mean it. Desna has lost his way since I have left and I feel bad, but my family must come first."

Ornatok walked over and put his arm around his wife's waist, giving her a reassuring squeeze. "Please do as she asks. I wouldn't have invited you if I didn't believe you could keep this secret."

There was a short silence as Jinora and Anik looked at each other. Finally, Jinora nodded. "Fine. We won't tell anyone from the Northern Water Tribe where you are," she promised, making Ornatok sigh in relief.

"You could definitely do with a bit of work in here though, it's pretty…" Anik began before Tilia kicked him in the shin. "Pretty! Yep, just pretty…" the Waterbender finished weakly.

Ornatok wasn't fooled. He pulled a face and shrugged. "You're right. We simply don't have the money though. Work is hard to come by at the moment so anything that brings in a little extra is always a good idea, right?" he asked the group, causing Anik to nod.

"No," Eska said bluntly. "I told you before, you are not to involve yourself with them."

"But sweetie, they're acting for the good of everyone and they DO pay well. After everything your father did…"

Eska pulled away from him. She seemed genuinely mad at her husband but her voice didn't rise at all. "I said no because of what my father did. They're making the same mistake. There's a reason they're never spoken of, Ornatok."

Her husband frowned but didn't reply. Instead, he scooped his son up in his arms and walked into a room at the back, closing the door behind him without a word.

"I apologise for that," Eska said. Her eyes were shimmering slightly, showing signs of tears welling up. To try and cheer her up, Anik laughed lightly and made a flippant gesture with his hand. "Men eh?" he chuckled.

Eska raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

"I don't mean to pry, but what was that about?" Jinora asked curiously. A thought had sprung to her mind during the conversation which could finally provide some answers.

The Waterbending ex-Chief sat down in a seat nearby and took a sip of water slowly. She put the cup down and finally said, "My husband wishes to join a group of people who are causing trouble simply because they pay well. He means well but I do not want to see him harmed or worse."

Tilia smiled. "That makes sense though. You're just looking out for him. It's really sweet."

"What trouble are they causing?" Anik asked. "Roughing up some shops? Pirating? Hunting endangered polar bear dogs? Surely not…boycotting the fashion industry?"

"Anik! Priorities!"

"Oh, sorry…"

Eska shook her head. "No. The kind of trouble where they kill spirits for their power."

* * *

The coat was warm and a welcome relief to the bitter cold outside. Jahn pulled it round him tighter, more than pleased that the Water Tribe garb was as comfortable as it looked.

"Happy now?" Kazon asked with a smile.

"Blue's not really my colour," Jahn replied ironically as they walked down the street. "Better than my skin turning blue though."

Kazon shrugged. "You'll make a wise Avatar yet. Unless you go round arguing with more world leaders. What was all that about?" he asked softly.

Jahn wrinkled his nose up. "I was after some answers but it turns out I was wrong. Although Desna didn't have to be such a—"

"He IS difficult, yes," Kazon said, cutting Jahn off. "But he's Chief here now so what he says goes. You're not to look into these Spirit Eaters."

"Pfft," Jahn scoffed. "No point now, they're not here apparently. Maybe I was wrong, maybe they're no threat at all?"

The Fire Prince looked sideways with thoughtful eyes. "The Avatar is meant to keep the peace in all nations. If you had a gut feeling, you were right to try and find out more."

They turned into another street, which was considerably larger than the rest. Lights illuminated the entire street and people were coming and going continuously. The heart of the Northern Water Tribe entertainment scene. The hotel that Varrick had booked was somewhere along here but only Kazon knew the way, having visited before.

Jahn kept his eyes on the floor. "I'm not exactly doing a great job. All I seem to do is go round and aggravate everybody."

"I don't believe that's true. You helped save Republic City and countless lives from Vehrin and the Red Lotus," Kazon pointed out. "Stop being so hard on yourself and give yourself some credit. You didn't exactly have a fun time during it all, did you," he continued, waving his hands in the air to accentuate his words. A few tiny flying spirits with no faces flew around his hands in excitement but he waved them away easily.

Jahn sighed. "You can say that again. Do you ever…regret what happened with Scarlett?" he asked tentatively. He knew Kazon despised the woman but maybe he too felt that guilt gnawing at his insides.

"She had to be stopped and we did what was needed to save more people from being harmed by her wickedness. It was indeed a shame but what's done is done now," Kazon said, staring straight ahead.

"I still feel awful about it though."

Kazon shrugged. "I'd be very worried if you didn't. It's not a good thing to take a life but sometimes the means justify the end. Let's hope you never have to find that out again."

"I hope so. Who knows, maybe all the time for trouble has passed," Jahn said somewhat optimistically as they approached the hotel. It was a magnificent building made from pure white snow and ice, illuminated by huge chandeliers in the vast ceiling.

"That's the spirit!" Kazon said with a smile as they passed through one of the main doors to the hotel. Even at this hour, people were still milling about, busy with their lives. Some individuals in slightly more expensive clothes were sat around the lobby, clearly waiting for this or that. The rich of the world visiting the Northern Water Tribe could be found in one place only. This very building.

It was fitting then, that the Fire Nation Prince and the Avatar walked into the lobby. A hush fell over the entire room as all eyes turned to them. Jahn felt inconspicuous, given his recent purchase of the Water Tribe coat, but Kazon stood out royally. The pair looked around and then at each other awkwardly.

"Maybe you two should kiss. You know, break the tension," Anik said as he came up behind them. Jahn jumped slightly but Kazon simply turned. "Ah, Anik. Nice to see you again."

"And you, Prince Kazon. Looking fancy! Any particular reason you're here?" Anik asked.

"Business," Kazon said with a rueful face. He turned back to the room and held out two hands widely. The unspoken question was loud and clear, making the entire lobby resume action.

Anik rolled his eyes. "Never anything fun. Did you find anything out?" he asked Jahn.

The Avatar shook his head. "Nope. Total waste of time. Desna said there were never any Spirit Eaters here and Kazon pretty much helped confirm it."

"Whoa, don't go blaming me," the Fire Prince said, holding his hands up in mock surrender.

"Chief Desna said that?" Anik asked, looking surprised. "Well you might be right about him lying on the radio then. We had a bit of an adventure ourselves."

It was Jahn's turn to be surprised. "Oh? When?" he asked. He knew he wasn't the centre of their worlds but he didn't like missing out on stuff.

"After you left, we kinda attacked some kid, then got attacked by his dad, then met his wife and now we're all friends."

Both Jahn and Kazon just stared at him.

Anik winked. "Here's the clincher. His wife is Eska, Desna's twin sister."

Kazon's eyes widened. "She's here? In the city? We all thought she'd gone missing."

"So did we. Looks like Desna's been a bit of a naughty Chief. Come on, we'll go upstairs and discuss this with the ladies," Anik said, waving over his shoulder as they made towards the elevators.

Jahn gritted his teeth as they walked. He was feeling smug about being right but why did it always bring more strife?

* * *

"Sounds like Desna hasn't changed much. If anything, he's even more miserable than ever," Jinora said glumly as she peered out the window.

"Threatening to arrest me WAS a little much, yeah," Jahn agreed. The group were sat around in their expensive hotel room, waiting on Tilia who was 'freshening up' in the bathroom.

Anik sampled a drink from the nearby minibar but screwed his face up in disgust. "People drink this stuff? Sweet spirits, that's disgusting."

Kazon took the bottle from him and peered at the label before laughing. "That's because this IS a sweet spirit. Just not the floating around kind. It's meant to last a while, not just downed in one."

Anik was attempting to brush his tongue with a comb and just about managed to say, "Do cab keeb ip den!" before waterbending a sizeable tendril of crystal clear water into his mouth.

"Anik, get a grip," Jinora said bluntly. "We need to tell Jahn about Eska."

"Go bor ib."

"Why don't you swallow before you—oh never mind, I'll say it. You were right Jahn, the Spirit Eaters ARE in the Northern Water Tribe. Eska's husband wants to join them to earn them some money and they've apparently been very selective about their recruiting," Jinora explained quickly.

"They're recruiting here? What do they want?" Jahn asked quickly.

Jinora shook her head. "We have no idea. All we know is they're killing spirits to gain some power or something."

Jahn slammed a fist into his other hand in frustration. "Desna was lying then. I bet he's covering their tracks or something. We need to find out what."

"Good luck getting through those palace gates then," Anik finally said after he'd spat out the water in the nearby sink. "Plus the perimeter wall would be too hard to saw through."

The door to the bathroom opened at last and Tilia emerged, wiping her hands on a towel. Jahn gestured towards Kazon as she walked out. "Ah, Tilia, this is Prince Kazon of the Fire Nation. Kazon, this is-

"Oh, it's you! Pleased to meet you again," Kazon said with a slightly shocked expression but smiled quickly. "I never really got chance to thank you for helping me out. Tilia, is it?" he said, holding out a hand.

Tilia, to nearly everyone's surprise, walked straight over and took it, smile on her face. "Hello again Prince Kazon. I take it everything turned out well?" she asked in a strangely formal voice.

"Just about. Only thanks to Jahn and the others here," Kazon conceded.

"Erm, you two know each other?" Anik asked, curious.

Kazon made a twirling motion with his right hand as he looked at the ceiling, remembering. "We met during the Red Lotus incident. I was on…which street? Ah it doesn't matter. Either way, I was trapped against a building and then this charming young lady showed up."

Jahn looked at Tilia, who shrugged. "And you helped him how?"

"Oh, she Metalbent me out of it," Kazon said nonchalantly.

Jinora stood up. "You can Metalbend and you never told us?" she asked Tilia, who looked at the floor sheepishly.

"I wasn't sure if you'd want me around if you thought I was a nonbender but I hoped we could all be friends anyway. If you knew I was a Metalbender then maybe you'd have just used me for my bending, not my intellect. I don't really use my bending much," Tilia admitted, somewhat embarrassed.

Kazon frowned at their reactions. "Hey, remember what I told you last time? Have some more faith in yourself and just live life to the fullest," he said wisely with a wink. Tilia grinned back, thankful for some support.

"Well that solves the palace gate situation. Anyone up for a little night-time raid on the palace?" Jahn asked, cracking his knuckles.

Shaking his head, Kazon pointed at the assorted group. "Chief Desna prohibited you all from breaking any rules whilst you were here. I can't be a part of this and I can't let any of you get in trouble under my watch."

Jinora's eyes narrowed. "Forgive me, Prince Kazon," she said in a slightly frosty tone, "But I'm the current leader of the Air Nation and I'm also older than you by quite a few years. I agree with Jahn; we need to find out who we're dealing with and the best way to do that is to follow up on our only current lead. Eska wouldn't give us any more information so the palace might give us some answers."

"What about jail?" Kazon asked with a genuine look of concern on his face.

Jahn rolled his eyes. "I'll break out of it if I have to. Anyway, there's no point worrying about jail if we're not caught," he chuckled with a wide grin on his face.

* * *

The palace gates were gigantic ornate metal gates in tarnished silver, surrounded by huge icy walls which were said to be built around metal meshing to prevent any Waterbenders easily breaking in. If it were just a Waterbender, the palace would be almost impregnable. For Team Avatar, it was merely an obstacle to overcome.

"Through there, quick," Anik whispered as loudly as he dared, ushering the group through the sizeable hole he'd made in the ice. When they were all inside, Anik clambered in and bent the ice back across the hole, covering them all in total darkness.

"Is that the fence?"

"No, that's my hand."

"Oh, sorry. Wait, who's pulling my coat?"

"You're snagged on some ice. Wait, no, now I am too…"

"Guys," Tilia whispered. "I've found the fence."

The younger girl focused and ripped her hands apart from one another. The group could hear a weird screeching as the metal twisted and bent, the broken posts all bending into the ice to allow them to pass. "Ok, we're through," she said smugly.

Anik continued to push through the ice, trying to ignore the group ahead of him. "Man, bending is hard when you can't see…" he complained.

"I can't Firebend in here, it'd be a washout…" Jahn whispered back.

"It wouldn't melt that fast. You could at least give us a little light," Jinora's voice came from ahead of them.

Jahn sighed and held up a hand, hoping that nobody was close enough in front of him to catch on fire. As he willed the flame into existence, the small secret tunnel they had created burst into light once more. Jahn looked at the tiny fire in his hand, confused, before Jinora flicked a hand and a small gust of air blew it out.

"We've reached the other side! We can't have you lighting up the place!" Jinora said quickly with a slightly apologetic look.

"But there are lights in the courtyard!" Jahn whispered back. Why bother with the flame if they didn't need it!?

"Search lights," came Anik's voice from behind them. "Did you honestly not see them before we climbed in here?"

"…..it was a tall wall…"

Tilia jumped out of the tunnel and landed gently on the snowy courtyard floor. "We don't have long to get across here before the lights sweep the area. It looks like they're standard two metre lights so there should be a blindspot round that corner," she said, pointing it out.

"You've done this before…" Jahn muttered as he peered over her shoulder. Tilia turned her head slightly with a little shy smile.

Turning, Jahn spotted Kazon emerging from the tunnel. He looked rather irritated and the Water Tribe jacket didn't suit him at all. "I can't believe I'm doing this," he muttered. They'd convinced the Prince to come with them but disguised him to look like a native citizen in case trouble arose.

"We're going to need some cover to avoid being seen, lights or no lights. Hang on," Jinora said, gently moving her arms back and forth. The snow, which had been falling gently, began to swirl around faster and faster on gusts of air. Anik grinned as he too bent the water around them, causing a large area to be covered in twirling snow.

"Let's go, quickly!" Jahn said, dashing forward. Tilia was running by his side but he couldn't really see any of the others through the deluge of snow. They reached the edge of the palace quickly and the snow died down once more. As expected, the guards were curious over the sudden snowstorm and were beginning to investigate.

"We need to get inside. Up there!" Kazon said hurriedly, pointing out a small window two floors up.

"On it!" Jahn said, standing with his feet wide. He tensed his arms and raised them above his head quickly, making the entire patch of ground they were stood on rise up. The earth column burst upwards and stopped just at the window, allowing Tilia to climb through the window carefully.

"This is the least stealthy break-in ever," Jinora said grumpily as she too climbed into the palace.

"Jahn, the guards are coming over, I think we've been spotted!" Anik said urgently. A number of figures were running over to their location, having finally noticed the intruders.

"About time. Right, everyone in!" Jahn ordered, Airbending the two others through the window. The wooden window totally shattered as the two men fell through, leaving a gaping hole where the window once was.

"You there, stop!" shouted one of the guards but it was too late. With a cheeky wave, Jahn hopped through the hole and disappeared from view. "Think anyone noticed?" he asked the group.

They were in.


	8. The Spirit Eaters

((Hey everyone! Little early with the upload but it's a heavy chapter so it should keep you going! Hopefully a little more is clear after this one, but it's only just the beginning...))

* * *

The Spirit Eaters:

The guards burst through the door, hands raised and prepared for an attack, but were met with an empty bedroom. They all turned around and made down the hallway, determined to catch the intruders, even if it meant checking everyone room at once.

Two floors below them, Team Avatar also hurried down a hallway, wary of detection. As Jinora had pointed out, their break-in had been less than discreet. That being said, the Team had managed to climb a floor without anyone finding them. So far so good.

"Where are we even going?" Anik asked in a hushed voice.

Jahn held up his hands as he jogged along. "I've got no idea," he admitted with a nervous laugh. "Anywhere which might give us an idea about Desna and his big cover-up."

"IF he's covering anything up," Jinora said. "Don't go blaming people without evidence," she continued wisely.

Jahn rolled his eyes and turned the corner. Two guards were walking down the hallway away from them with their backs turned. Jahn skidded to a stop and backed up quickly, waving the others back with an alarmed expression.

"Now what?" Kazon asked, irritated. He was used to being invited in; sneaking around clearly did not sit well with the Prince.

"Tilia, how much of this place is metal?" Jahn asked the shy girl. She closed her eyes and stamped the floor with one foot, clearly listening to only something she could hear. When Tilia opened them again, she pulled a face and said, "Barely any. It's all ice and snow."

Jahn sighed. "This place is a maze. Why are there so many rooms?"

"Gotta keep up appearances," Anik commented dryly.

"I did notice a high abundance of metal somewhere down below, however," Tilia admitted. "The palace is ice but there's something below the throne room which definitely isn't."

Jinora cocked her head to the side. "But we're somewhere directly above the throne room. You don't think…?"

"No time, go go go!" Jahn shouted, waving his arms frantically. The two guards had rounded the corner; having completed a circuit and returned, they immediately launched water towards the group. Anik jumped forward and bent the water to either side, covering the Team as they ran down the hallway. Anik followed, dodging water whips and ice shards which flew past rapidly.

"Go right!" Jinora shouted as she watched Kazon and Tilia turn quickly. They continued to run, fending off the attacks, but all knew they'd end up more lost than before. More guards were starting to appear on the palace floor and it was only a matter of time before they were caught.

The door splintered as Kazon kicked it down. Team Avatar rushed in and looked around hurriedly. There was no way out, not even a window. The guards were approaching fast. It looked like it was fight time.

"Ah, screw this," Anik swore, spinning around elegantly. "We'll need a soft landing!" he yelled as he jumped in the air, landing heavily on one foot just as the guards reached the doorway. The icy floor below the group had been cut perfectly by Anik's Waterbending and the entire group plummeted down through the newly made hole in the floor.

The throne room was enormous, allowing plenty of time to watch the ground rush up to meet them. As they all reached the halfway point, two tall cyclones of air burst from nowhere, catching all five of them in mid-air. Both Jahn and Jinora continued to spin their arms slowly as the wind funnels slowly placed them all gently on the floor of the throne room.

"NEVER do that AGAIN!" Kazon exclaimed, his eyes wide from shock. The Prince straightened his ruffled coat slightly and tried to seem dignified.

Jahn was doubled over, laughing. When he finally caught a breath, he wiped a tear from his eye. "I thought you'd flown before? Remember Republic City?" he mentioned.

Kazon shook his head. "That wasn't flying. That was…"

"Lucky. Anik, next time tell us about what you're about to do," Jinora said to the grinning Waterbender. "For the record, that was some good Airbending, Jahn," she said to the Avatar, who gave a thumbs-up in response. "We'd better move before those guards follow us though; it won't take long before they all make their way down."

Jahn nodded, inhaling deeply to prevent himself from laughing. This entire escapade was insane. "Alright, where now? Beneath the throne room, yeah?" he asked Tilia.

The girl nodded, also clearly shaken. She pointed towards the throne as she took a number of deep breaths.

"Oh, come on, surely not…?" Anik scoffed at the concept. Surely it wouldn't be so obvious?

Jinora inspected the throne carefully, noticing the detail on the carvings. "It's a lovely piece of work," she commented about the intricate waves carved into the wood and ice.

"Jinora, priorities," Anik said sarcastically with a wink, prompting the Airbender to frown quickly.

Jahn walked between them, eager to prevent any arguments, given the lack of time. "Come on, let's check this out and then get out of here. I'm starting to think this was a bad idea," he admitted.

"It was yours in the first place!" Anik exclaimed.

Kazon shook his head. "No, Jahn. We check everything. I've not risked being caught just to run out as soon as we get inside."

"Look at you, calling the badgermole blind," Jahn remarked. "You've wanted to leave the entire time."

"Because this is insane! You won't find anything in here except a fancy chair which attracts too much attention!" Kazon retorted hotly.

Jinora turned her head sharply. "I'm starting to think maybe I should've just let you fall, Prince Kazon," she said venomously.

"Such a team player," Anik muttered under his breath but Jinora heard him. She stared daggers at the Waterbender, who stood tall and stared straight back. Before either of them could utter another world, however, a slow screeching sound came from behind them. They all turned to see Tilia stood by the throne, slowly pushing it back with Metalbending.

The throne moved back inch by inch until it stopped a metre back from where it started. The very base of the throne seemed, underneath all the wood and ice, to be made of metal and was connected to a faint track in the floor. Just as the throne clicked into place, it sunk ever so slightly into the floor as a pressure plate activated. A faint hum sounded and the floor before the throne slid back to reveal a set of stairs spiralling downwards into the dark.

"You said we were in a rush?" Tilia said, clearly unimpressed with the bickering.

Team Avatar looked at each other sullenly before making for the stairway. The entire situation seemed too suspicious not to investigate and they'd have to work together without arguing to find out anything useful.

"Looks like Desna WAS sat on a secret after all," Anik quipped dryly as they descended into the dark.

Nobody laughed.

* * *

"Ancient One!"

"Please wake up!"

"We need you!"

The cacophony of voices were an irritation. They assaulted his ears, disturbed his slumber. His Emergence was ending, his great rest finally ceasing. The spirits had come to ask his assistance.

One giant eye opened slowly, observing the mass of spirits assembled before him. Before, they would have been eye level. Now, they stood well below his chest. The Emergence had given him strength beyond that of any other animal.

"Please, Ancient One! You must have felt it!" shouted one small spirit in the shape of a walking vegetable.

"The humans have begun to attack! We need your help!" another cried, that with the head of a wolf and the body of a deer.

Humans causing trouble. Before, Vehrin had caused chaos. Now, humanity was taking revenge. The world was ravaged by war and corruption. Which world? Both of them.

Soil fell from his shoulders as he braced himself. The vines and assorted plant life that attached him to the Spirit World begun to snap and tear away as he slowly climbed to his feet, creaking and groaning.

"Ancient One, we must do something!" came a new voice, one full of anger and outrage. The great eye turned to observe a spirit, long in limb and stooped in posture. A snout peeked from a huge mane of dark black hair, eyes visible as just two green slashes of light hidden deep in the tangle of hair. Human hair. Shaking a pawed hand, it called up to him in a tone which was too arrogant for its position; "Get up and do something!"

Fine.

The earth shook and split, tearing apart as the lion-turtle heaved itself onto its feet. Massive shoulders rolled and spirit birds flew in panic from the small forest on its back. The lion-turtle was still not yet full grown but it did not need to be. Nothing could threaten it now.

"YOU," he said in a rumbling voice. The spirits below all bowed in respect, save for the arrogant one with the long hair and the brown fur. It stood taller than the rest, unbent by false confidence. "YOUR SCENT IS LIKE HUMAN," the lion-turtle boomed. The scent was familiar to him. Anik had been kind.

"How dare you compare me to those stinking creatures, Ancient One!?" the spirit shouted in anger.

"I KNOW YOUR FORM. YOUR ARROGANCE IS…UNDESERVED."

The spirit snarled. "I came asking your help, not bicker like children. We need to destroy the humans or they'll destroy us. Will you help us or not?"

The lion-turtle would have frowned, if his facial muscles would have allowed it. "NO MORE WAR."

The angry spirit hissed at him and turned away to face the others. "You all beg the help of a false god if that's what you want. I'll gather some loyal spirits and route these invaders. You…traitors," it said angrily at the assorted spirits, who all looked either offended or extremely upset. They all watched as the other spirit left, back stooped slightly, arms hanging awkwardly by its sides.

"Forgive Zhansha, Ancient One. He is angry about the humans," the wolf-head spirit said sadly.

"HUMANS. WHAT HAVE THEY DONE?"

One of the spirits looked around, as if afraid. "They're killing our kind, Ancient One. Killing us to gain power. They're terrifying. We don't dare enter the human world anymore. Not through the Northern Portal."

The lion-turtle was not pleased by this news. It had observed the Avatar travelling with her female companion and again, sometime later, wearing a new face and with new humans, Anik included. The portals had been left open. Spirits and humans must coincide. Where was the Avatar to fix this?

"I SHALL OBSERVE," the lion-turtle promised, taking a step towards the spirits. They scattered out of his way as he shook the last of the sleep from his shell. The time for sleep was over. The time for action was now.

* * *

"You're not allowed down here! Get out now!"

"What's down here?" Jahn asked the man aggressively. He was only inches from his face, staring into the man's eyes.

"Nothing! You need to leave now. Get out!" the man repeated with a snarl.

"Gatekeeper, huh? That explains the Metalbending requirement. You're the one who opens this up?" Anik asked.

"Who said I could Metalbend!?" the man asked frantically.

Team Avatar all frowned in disbelief. "We literally just saw you. You attacked us with it?" Anik replied, somewhat confused.

"Oh. Yeah. Well you're not right about anything. You need to leave!" the man said, trying his best. Team Avatar wasn't buying it, however.

Jahn waved a hand at the man, clearly dismissing him. "He's useless. Leave him here, Tilia," he said. The girl nodded and the metal grips around the man's wrists and legs tightened slightly, gripping him against the wall. Before he could protest, a piece of the metal wall bent and tightened round his mouth, silencing the man. His eyes moved frantically but he couldn't bend the metal away without moving his arms.

"That'll do nicely," Jahn said, patting the man's cheek with one hand. "Down this way, then?" he said with a grin to the man, who strained against his restraints.

"So this entire bunker is metal? It's a good thing you're here," Jinora said to Tilia, who shrugged. The girl didn't reply; instead she just made to follow Jahn. Jinora raised an eyebrow but also stayed quiet. Clearly the girl wasn't feeling chatty.

The hallway was insanely long. There were no doors, just metal walls which led away from the palace. Wherever this led to, it was clearly built into the mountains behind the palace.

"So what do you think we'll find here?" Tilia asked Jahn. The other three were somewhere behind them but Jahn had not heard the Metalbender approach.

Jahn shrugged, his shadow moving at the same time in the dull light from the lights built into the ceiling. "I've no idea. I know as much about these Spirit Eaters as you do."

Tilia looked up at Jahn from the corner of her eye. "You seem confident that you'll be able to stop them."

The Avatar chuckled. "Not really. I hope we don't have to fight anyone but let's face it, that's the most likely result of this. I just hope we've not jumped in over our heads. Korra used to do that all the time."

"You still talk to Korra?" Tilia asked in slight awe. "I heard a lot about her from Asami."

"Barely. She sometimes sends me memories or emotions to help guide me. If anything, she's just confusing me even more at the moment," Jahn said ruefully.

"And the other Avatars?"

Jahn sighed. "My connection with them is…corrupted. Korra broke her connection but it was renewed for me. I just can't contact them unless I enter the Avatar State and I won't," he said resolutely.

"You're scared." It wasn't a question.

Jahn looked at the girl, fighting to keep his voice level. "I'd be stupid if I wasn't," he said in a quavering voice.

Tilia was silent for a moment before she lightly punched him on the arm. "You'll be fine. You've got us."

Her reassurance was actually important to him. He knew he wasn't alone. Somehow, Tilia made him feel better. This strangely quiet, shy girl was actually quietly comforting.

"Oh, hang on," she said quickly, forcing them to stop. She slammed her heel into the floor once again and focused. "There's a chamber up ahead and to the left. I think it's a bedroom or something."

Jahn nodded, immediately jumping into stealth mode. "Come on then," he whispered, signalling the others to follow. He hoped they'd seen or else the two of them might end up in trouble.

The aforementioned door was open slightly. The entire room was also metal, with a rough steel bed in one corner and a desk in the other. It was empty.

"Nothing in here," Jahn noted. "Jinora, Kazon, check the other two doors down. We'll carry on down the hallway."

The pair glanced at each other quickly. "You're getting very free with those orders, Jahn," Jinora commented but left the room all the same.

Jahn shrugged. "It's about time I was a bit more pro-active," he murmured under his breath, well aware that Jinora couldn't hear.

Jahn, Anik and Tilia passed the next few doors and continued down the hallway. It really was one of the longest corridors Jahn had ever seen, making him question what purpose it had. Why have a secret base that was essentially all one corridor?

Another door loomed to the right, a faint light shining from within. Jahn approached cautiously and peeked around the corner. He looked at the others and gestured inside. "Library."

The room was not large but it was full with shelves all around the outside. Books lay stacked neatly on these shelves and desks underneath were ideally placed for research. A few books lay on one desk, illuminated by a small lantern. Jahn looked around, not impressed with a room full of books. As he made to leave, however, Tilia grabbed his sleeve. "Aren't we here to investigate?" she asked, gesturing around.

"She's right," Jinora said as she entered, quickly followed by Kazon. "Nothing in the other rooms but this…this might give us some valuable insight as to whom we're dealing with."

Jahn sighed. "We don't have time to go reading through a ton of books."

"We'll make time. You scan those over there," Jinora said, pointing out a bookshelf by the door, "and I'll start over this side. If you could all cover the shelves in-between?..."

The others nodded, all moving towards a different bookshelf. Jahn gritted his teeth but scanned the books as he was asked. "Nothing," he said after a few seconds. Turning, he noticed Jinora had only just got hold of one book and was looking at him in disbelief. "What?" he asked.

"You need to actually read them, you know. Are you not interested in the slightest?" she asked incredulously. "There's one here about the origins of Airbending. I think there's only one other copy at the Eastern Air Temple…"

"If it won't help me be a better Airbender then I'm not too fussed," Jahn retorted.

Anik was flicking through pages quickly, clearly scanning pictures more than words. Kazon seemed to be very interested in a large, old book but appeared to be on the same page five minutes later. Tilia and Jinora were faring much better, flicking through books quickly but still pausing to glance at certain pages.

"Jahn, come and look at this," Jinora said suddenly, surprising them all. She'd placed a heavy book down on the illuminated desk and was pointing curiously at a picture on one page. Jahn peered over her shoulder at it, frowning as he saw the image. A spirit, malformed and dark, surrounded by spirals of water which were glowing at their base.

"I've seen this before. Unalaq used this against Korra and I," Jinora said in a hushed voice. "It calms dark spirits."

"I don't know that technique," Jahn whispered back. "Maybe this is where he learnt it from? What else is in here?"

"A lot about spirits. I've never even heard of this book before but it's full of information. It might be from Wan Shi Tong's library in the spirit world," Jinora considered aloud. The others had stopped reading and were all listening intently.

Jahn leaned in and flipped the page with his forefinger. The next page was full of writing but a small image took up the bottom half of the page. The water spirals around the spirit were glowing and had formed a dome over the spirit, which was half vanished. "What's this about?"

Jinora peered closely at the text. "Calms spirits…perfect technique…we know all this...wait…the dome prevents the spirit from leaving and traps the essence within the water. The water is then infused with the spirit's energies, leaving it to be absorbed by the earth or a greater spirit, allowing…"

"Allowing...?" Anik asked, leaving the word hanging as she had done.

"It ends there. I can't make out anymore," Jinora sighed.

"Allowing the spirit or human to absorb all of the power, making it stronger," a voice behind them said loudly, making them all jump. A man stood in the doorway, shadows dancing on his face. "Welcome. It's an honour to have you here, Avatar."

Jahn held out a palm and a small flame burst into life above his hand. "Who are you?" he questioned.

The man stepped into the room and smoothed down his robe. He wore water tribe garb and had light grey hair which matched his small grey goatee perfectly. The man was smiling slightly, clearly not angry that he had intruders in his secret base. "You didn't harm our resident Metalbender when you came in, did you?"

Jahn frowned. "He's fine. Who are you and what is this place?"

"I am the current leader of the organisation which operates from this place. We call ourselves the-"

"Spirit Eaters," the Avatar finished grimly. He'd been right. These people were clearly upsetting the balance of the world somehow.

The man looked surprised. "Is that what people are calling us? Absurd. We're healers, helpers. Nothing more," he explained, holding his hands out in an attempt to appear sincere.

Jinora stepped forward, pointing at the man. "You all practice this technique, don't you? To destroy a spirit and take its power?"

The man shook his head. "Whatever gives you the impression that we'd do such a thing? We respect the spirits!"

Tilia shuffled slightly. "I can hear his heartbeat. I can tell if someone lies to me. He's telling the truth."

Jahn looked over his shoulder quickly. Tilia had kept this ability quiet; maybe that's why she seemed so curious about everything. Not to actually find things out but just to find out whether they were all trustworthy. "So why do you have a secret base protected by Chief Desna, who clearly knows something about 'Spirit Eaters'?" he asked, making quotation marks with his hands as he spoke.

"Chief Desna said this?" the man asked, pausing slightly.

The group nodded in unison. "He did. You're going to have to come with us for questioning, I'm afraid," Kazon said formally from the back of the room.

"Hm. You must know, Avatar, that everything we do, we do because of you," the man said, his friendly demeanour lessening slightly.

Jahn was caught off-guard. "Because of me? What?"

The man's smile faded and his eyes became hard. "Your presence is noticed less and less these days, Avatar. Look at the strife and suffering which occurred because you failed to stop the Fire Nation invading the rest of the world. Look when the Red Lotus rose and nearly ruined everything because you were still a babe in the Southern Water Tribe. Look at when you disappeared for three years and Kuvira nearly destroyed the United Nations. You're one man, Avatar, and you can't stop everything alone."

"I'm not alone. See this lot? They've got my back," Jahn said, pointing over his shoulder and felt a reassuring pat on the back by Anik.

"A rabble. World leaders and commoners together. How can you hope to stop anything if you're always travelling together?" the man asked, jabbing a finger at them.

"As we did before. Together," Jahn said defiantly.

The man spat on the floor. "Sentiment will not fix the world, Avatar. You could join us and help us save everyone, everywhere. My agents are all over the world, ready to make the sacrifices needed to propel humanity into a golden age," he said, holding out a hand.

"Sacrifices. What sacrifices?" Jinora asked warily.

"We revere the spirits and rightly so. They existed long before we did; they hold power and secrets that we could only dream of. In the past, people have misused their power; taken it for their own selfish gains. Unalaq, Kuvira, Melaa. We can use that power, use this gift, to give back to the people and keep them safe," the man said, his eyes gleaming with the thought.

"So you kill spirits, take their power and use it to protect people? That's so contradictory that it's giving me a headache," Tilia said quietly.

"Is it though? The spirits are honoured beyond compare. There is no greater worship than sacrifice. They can help protect all of us. Don't you see? We're doing this to help people!" the man almost shouted.

Jahn glanced at Tilia, who shrugged. "He's telling the truth. At least, he thinks he is."

The Avatar turned back to the stranger. It was a lot of new information but he was accustomed to a heavy workload, thanks to Vehrin and the Red Lotus. His mother would never condone the taking of a life. Scarlett had been a mistake, he knew that now. There must always be mercy. For all things. He stared at his hands as he thought.

"Taking a life to save another isn't the way. Trust me, I've considered the very same. There's always another way, a better way," he said slowly. He heard Jinora sigh in relief slightly behind him. "We'll always strive to help this world but what you're doing, destroying the spirits to help humans…that's not right. You've got to stop this."

The man looked shocked but this quickly turned to anger. He raised a hand but a metal strip from the wall wrapped round his wrist and trapped him against the wall, like with the Gatekeeper. The man turned quickly, raising his other wrist, but Jahn wasn't afraid. There was no water to bend in here.

"You're wrong!" the man yelled. "Wrong! Wrong! We need heroes, saviours, or we'll all be doomed!"

"You're looking at them," Jahn said with a wink.

"Bit far…" he heard Jinora say, making him nod in agreement. "Yeah, guess I pushed it a bit there…" Jahn admitted. He looked at the man again, closely. "You're coming with us. Your operation stops here."

Tilia opened her palm quickly and the metal receded into the wall, allowing the man to rub his wrist quickly. He spat on the floor in quick succession and gave them all an angry glare.

Before anyone could take a step forward to grab him, the man jumped backwards through the door, raising his arms as he fell. Jahn dashed forward but a gigantic shard of ice burst from the floor, blocking the exit. The Avatar fell back in surprise.

"What the-?"

"The spit! He bent his spit on the floor!" Anik said in a tone which seemed half impressed and half disgusted. "So gross!"

"But how did he make all this ice from two tiny puddles?" Jahn asked, perplexed.

Anik shrugged. Jinora helped him to his feet, considering his question. "He must have somehow made more water from them. Or from the air. Either way, that's some incredibly powerful bending."

Jahn clapped his hands together as a claxon sounded somewhere outside the door. "Great. We're rumbled. Let's get after that guy. We need more answers," he said, pointing at the ice. Anik jumped forward and the ice shattered into tiny shards.

The group emerged from the library and into the hallway. The claxon was still blaring and somewhere down the hallway, a deep rumbling signified the secret base was evacuating.

"Ok, so he could have gone either way. Looks like this is actually an escape route, so the rest of the base is that way," Jahn said, pointing down the hallway. The dim lights were flickering rapidly and Jahn's eyes narrowed as he peered into the gloom.

"In the case, if we go down this way, we can check on the Gatekeeper guy and…" Anik began to say before Jahn pushed him back in panic. "GET DOWN!"

A huge plume of fire roared down the hallway, screaming towards them at an impossible speed. The floor beneath them buckled slightly as the ground beneath the base shifted. The explosion ripped through the mountainside, channelled through the base's metal interior. The fire reached them in seconds, giving them just enough time to turn and crouch reflexively. The flames rushed over them, covering the Team in searing heat as the explosion thundered past them. The metal floor began to pop and break apart, the sheets actually coming apart at the seams. Before them, the metal had already risen up and covered them slightly in a makeshift shield, allowing the fire to bounce off and carry on down the hallway. It rushed past, above, to the right and to the left, but the Team was totally unharmed.

Jahn stood, arms outstretched, holding up the metal wall with Metalbending. His back was to them but Jinora could just glimpse the Avatar stood resolutely against the ferocious flames. After a few seconds, the fire faded away and silence took over once more.

"You can Metalbend?" Tilia asked, shocked at the explosion and the method of rescue.

Jinora shook her head, her face clearly upset. " _He_ can't…"

Jahn turned slowly as the metal gradually lowered to the floor. Just as the metal crashed back into the floor, Jahn faced his friends. His eyes were glowing brightly, his face expressionless.

"Oh no…" Jinora whispered.

It was at this moment that the entire mountainside, shaken by the explosion and the detonation of the base, decided to shift. Tons of rubble rained down the mountainside, gathering momentum and crashed all the way down to the Northern Water Tribe palace, burying it deep in an avalanche of snow and earth amidst the fresh screams and cries of the injured.

* * *

((Hope you missed the doom and gloom! It's back with a vengeance! Feel free to let me know what you think of this latest chapter! Thanks for reading!))


	9. Flight of the Repentant

((Hey everyone! An early upload again as I won't have time to upload tomorrow! Hope you enjoy!))

* * *

Flight of the Repentant:

The palace was gone. Buried in a landslide of ice and snow, rocks and dirt. The mountain lay dormant once more, a fresh gaping hole visible in the early morning sun. The wound had taken its toll on the mountain and now it slumbered onwards into the new day.

The emergency services had arrived promptly. Nobody had quite understood quite what was happening. All had been quiet and within seconds, a portion of the city lay destroyed by nature's power. Waterbenders from all over the city came to assist in removing the debris, bending it in giant tubes of water down the streets and outside the city. They passed the water down continuously like massive worms, threading it away from the palace and the surrounding area. Bit by bit, people were rescued from the suffocating snow and rumours began to swirl over what caused the disaster.

Some said that the mountain had simply crumbled under its own weight at last. Some said that a spirit had destroyed the mountain in retaliation for recent attacks on their kind. Others claimed the Avatar had broken in and caused the suffering. A less than popular theory was that Chief Desna had been testing weapons in the mountains, which backfired. Nobody really knew.

Among the crushed snow and broken palace, large pieces of metal began to be uncovered. The palace had not been metal, only ice and snow.

Something was strange about all this, so thought the Northern Water Tribe Chief of Police, Ukiuk Pallaya. Why would there be metal in the mountain? Or maybe it wasn't in the mountain, but underneath?

The Chief scratched his chin as he thought. There was frenzy all around him. He had personally came to the scene of the disaster to aid the injured and order his officers directly. Organisation was key.

"Chief, Sir! We've got another five injured from the east side of the avalanche. They're being taken to the healers now!" one close-by officer said without looking up from his notes.

Ukiuk nodded. "Another five…spirits take us, this is the worst disaster I've ever seen…" he muttered under his breath. "Any news on eyewitnesses?" he said, watching as his breath billowed out into the air.

The officer shook his head. "No Sir. Anyone who saw the avalanche is…uh…under it," he finished awkwardly.

"Poorly phrased. Make sure you don't add that to your official report," Ukiuk advised in response. Some called him stern, unforgiving, harsh. He simply considered himself to be effective. Lin Beifong of Republic City had always been the same way. She always got the best results too.

He continued to oversee the aftermath of the mountain's anger. Where the palace once stood, tall and mighty, lay a huge snowbank of undeterminable depth. A broken spire could be seen poking out at the top but the majority of the building had vanished entirely. The surrounding perimeter, including many of the buildings outside, had been hit by the snow wave as well. Chief Desna had not yet been found.

"Sir!" yelled another officer, who was sprinting towards him. She saluted and quickly pointed over her shoulder at an approaching figure. "We found this man in the snow. He says he had information on what caused this."

The man approached slowly, walking with a limp, clutching his side. His face showed clear signs of pain but he limped onwards regardless. His black hair was messy and his lip was torn and bloody. His entire face had a faint blue tinge, as though he had been in the cold all night.

'Obviously he had,' thought Chief Ukiuk. The man looked awful. His face was not recognisable but it was a big city. Just because he had been caught up in all this didn't mean he was the culprit.

"Chief Ukiuk, it's a pleasure," the man said between gritted teeth. He tried to salute but clutched his side once more in pain.

The Chief frowned. "You need to get checked out. You're badly hurt," he pointed out.

The man nodded. "I know. I needed to talk to you though. About some information about what happened here."

"And?"

"It was the Avatar, Chief. He broke into the palace; you can ask any of the guards who were on duty. He broke in and caused this."

Chief Ukiuk had heard this rumour from people nearby. "You have proof of this, beyond simple hearsay?"

The man sighed. "I was here, speaking to Chief Desna. It was all an attempt to kidnap our Chief but we got away so the Avatar destroyed the palace. I was buried underneath it all. I couldn't find Chief Desna."

It was Ukiuk's turn to sigh, in impatience. "That's a bold claim, but what do you have to support this? We haven't found any of the guards…yet."

"Other than the guards? There's a woman at the healers. She said she saw the Avatar in the heart of the avalanche, surfing down it like a wave. He had bright glowing eyes. You might want to talk to her; I'm sure she can tell you herself," the man claimed quietly.

Chief Ukiuk raised an eyebrow. Maybe it was worth checking out. The Avatar HAD arrived not long before this occurred and Chief Desna had sent out a city-wide alert, informing the police to watch out for any suspicious activity from their special guest. Had the Avatar really done this?

"I'll look into it. You get yourself to a healer asap; we might need to talk to you later," the Chief of Police said and the man nodded. As he turned, the Chief remembered something and quickly shouted after him. "What was your name again?"

The man looked over his shoulder. "Ornatok! My name is Ornatok."

The Chief waved him farewell and considered the information. He'd speak to the guards they'd found and then this woman with the healers. If the Avatar was to blame, he'd be arrested as soon as they found him. Someone had to pay.

* * *

"We'll never make it to the airship. We stick out like a sore thumb."

"Not with this coat. I look like a fish merchant."

"Kazon, that's one of the best coats that the Northern Water Tribe sells."

"It smells like fish. I think I'll stick to Fire Nation clothes from now on."

"Good luck finding those in jail."

"You all sound like turtleducks quacking. Please refrain from arguing in my home. You might wake up my son."

"Sorry, Eska. It's a shame we can't wake up Jahn though."

"I can never sleep when the sun comes up. Way too bright."

"Anik, not helpful."

"Either way, we still have the same problem. The Avatar's unconscious and won't wake up. The entire city is looking for us because of what happened and we can't get to the airship. Now what?"

Eska sipped her tea slowly, gazing at the group with sullen eyes. Her husband hadn't yet returned from his night shift and her brother was apparently still missing in the disaster. At least her son was safe in the back room, however. He was asleep on one bed and the Avatar had taken the other. The shy girl was keeping an eye on them both.

To some, it might appear that anytime the Avatar visited, disaster seemed to follow. This was an unfair thought, really. The Avatar simply unearthed a potential threat which could have happened at any time. If she'd been at the palace with her son…

The Spirit Eaters were not good men. She knew of them from her husband and the shadowy whispers that travelled the city. Spirits had all but vanished from the Tribe and it was their doing. If the Avatar's friends were telling the truth, her husband was a greater fool than he'd seemed.

The Airbender, Jinora, had brought a large, old book with her from their trip to the palace. As she sat reading through it, the Fire Nation Prince had recounted their tale. Breaking into the palace, finding a secret tunnel and revealing the Spirit Eaters. Eska had remained silent through this story. The visitors had brought trouble to her doorstep and to her son. She was not pleased.

Her husband had been about to join their ranks. Whilst Eska herself was not fond of the spirits, she knew they played an integral part of the world's balance. Her father had tampered with those forces and been destroyed as a result. If her husband was foolish enough to disobey her commands then he would be punished for risking their son's safety.

She had left the palace to protect her son from her brother. Now his father was the problem. Why could she never be happy, safe, at peace?

"That book. Tell me, what does it say about the Spirit Eaters?" she asked Jinora. She remembered the time where the woman was still just a little girl, scared and alone. Now she was older, wiser but still unsure of her position. Being the leader of a nation was not a prospect normal individuals should relish.

Jinora looked up. "It pretty much says what that man said. It contains a lot of information about notable spirits but it makes out as though they're targets. It all revolves around using their power to enhance your bending. It's literally like a fan written novel about the Avatar's powers. Spirits will be our salvation, blah blah..."

"He did say they were doing it because of Jahn," the Waterbending boy with the silver hair commented.

"The Avatar is the reason these men are causing trouble?" Eska asked.

"No, Jahn was clueless," Jinora said quickly. "He knew as much as we did but he had a hunch that they were going to be a problem. I should have listened to him more," she said quietly. Clearly the Airbender was upset and feeling guilty.

"The avalanche. What was the cause of this disaster?" Eska continued, ignoring Jinora's sniffs as she fought back a tear. Emotions were inefficient.

Her guests all shrugged. Eska believed them but she was still curious as to how they made it out when the rest of the palace had been destroyed.

"Jahn's Avatar State protected us," the Fire Prince explained once she voiced her question. "The tunnel we walked through angled up so we ended up above the palace in the mountainside. When the base detonated, Jahn covered us all in a sphere of air and we flew down the side of the mountain with all the snow and metal. It was rather surreal," Kazon said.

"It was terrifying. But of course, Jinora grabbed a book. She's got her priorities straight...at least we got out alive," the Waterbender said. His cockiness had diminished somewhat from the last time he had visited her home.

"Unlike so many of my citizens." Eska's voice was as monotone as ever but inside, she felt slightly sad about all the unnecessary destruction. This was her city, even if she was no longer Chief.

The Waterbender looked at the floor and scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. "I didn't mean…I'm very sorry but it wasn't our fault."

Eska nodded. "I do believe you. I would not have let you seek refuge here if I did not. But you must leave soon. Your airship will not wait long."

"There's no way we can transport Jahn all the way there without being caught. He'd just slow us down," Kazon said ruefully.

"Then I shall protect the Avatar whilst you retrieve your vessel. Bring it here and collect the Avatar quickly once you are in the air," Eska suggested, making the group look at each other. Kazon was even nodding slightly, clearly happy with her suggestion.

"A mad dash through the city, followed up by a crazy flight dodging the police to pick up the unconscious Avatar from a secret house in order to escape the fallout of some crazy spirit killers? Sounds like this was always going to happen," Anik chuckled, holding two thumbs up with a nervous grin on his face.

* * *

Kazon burst from the alleyway and sprinted down the street. The following officers were lagging behind considerably; the fire wall Kazon had bent across the alleyway had given him a few extra seconds. Ahead of him, he could see Anik walked nonchalantly down the street, keeping casual as he was meant to. He heard the commotion behind him and Kazon waved him on frantically.

Their cover was well and truly blown. Jinora hadn't been the most effective decoy after all.

After they left Eska's small house, they had split into two teams. Kazon and Jinora, Anik and Tilia. Anik and Tilia were to make their way slowly towards the airport, acting like a couple just going about their business. Kazon and Jinora were a bit more difficult, as their faces were more recognisable. Jinora had volunteered to be an obvious distraction and she could move the fastest. If she was pinned down, her Airbending would allow her to catch up with them with ease.

All had been going smoothly for a while. They made their way to the richer districts of the city, undisturbed by anyone. Kazon was alone; Jinora had made her way to a few streets away to create her distraction. If the city's attention was elsewhere, the other three could get to the airship and be halfway to Jahn before the police even realised.

This had obviously not gone well.

Kazon had heard shouts and yells behind him, turning in curiosity. It would help his cover to seem just as interested in any strange things as the everyday people. As it turned out, this was a good idea.

Jinora sped down the street towards him, standing tall on a spinning ball of air. Her knees were slightly bent and her hair whipped around frantically as she tore through the crowds towards him.

"What are you doing!?" Kazon shouted at her but she didn't stop. The air scooter roared past him and Jinora disappeared once more.

"Hey, you! Stop!" a voice shouted over the crowd. Kazon craned his neck round and saw a police officer pushing through the crowd. His eyes were locked on Kazon.

Kazon's next word had not been family friendly. The Prince had taken off, aware that he'd just given away his identity. Why didn't he just ignore Jinora!? The crowd parted for him, allowing him to sprint quickly away from the officer.

A whip of water tripped him, sending him flailing into the snow. Another officer was incoming from the side, a thin tendril of water wrapped round her arms. Kazon lashed out with a kick, the fire twirling into the air. The woman bent the water to block the fire and a plume of steam erupted, covering anyone nearby.

Kazon saw his opportunity. He jumped to his feet, pushing himself up with a blast of fire. The woman was attempting to bend the steam out of the way so Kazon punched at the floor. More snow melted rapidly, which in turn put out the flames instantly. More steam blew up into the air, creating some solid cover. The Prince resumed his run down the street, eager to simply get to the airport as quickly as possible.

The building in question was now not far away. It was the next street along and at the end. If he took this alleyway…

Officers jumped from nowhere, sending icy shards flying towards him. Kazon threw his arms up quickly, flames jumping from his hands. Turning his hands quickly, Kazon fashioned a flaming disc and held it in front of him as a makeshift shield. That'd stop the ice at least.

His progress into the alleyway was slow, fending off icy attacks all the way down. Impatience got the better of him. Kazon threw the flaming disc down to the floor and spread his arms quickly. The flames roared across the alleyway and flickered high into the sky. The pursuing officers all jumped back from the fiery wall. Time to get out of here.

"Anik, run!" he yelled. The Waterbender's eyes widened and he threw off his deception. He began to run ahead of Kazon until he gradually slowed to a jog, staring at something in the sky.

"Don't stop!" Kazon shouted just as his foot was instantly frozen in a block of ice. He stumbled to the ground once more, looking back at his hindrance. The officers had caught up.

Kazon kicked out angrily, flames erupting from his foot, shattering the ice and creating a huge ball of fire which impacted the ground right by the officers. It exploded and they all flew back with shouts and cries of pain. Further along the street, more officers were running towards them and more were approaching from behind. They were trapped.

At least, he was. Anik had seemingly vanished. Kazon squinted harder down the street, trying to identify where the Waterbender had gone.

"Kazon, up here!"

The Prince looked up and saw Anik clinging onto a rope above the buildings, flying towards him quickly. The airship above was flying perilously low and the rope didn't seem like the most secure way of getting aboard. Better than icy imprisonment, at least.

A huge spike of ice burst from the ground and launched itself up into the air. The airship roared upwards quickly, avoiding the ice, but Anik and his rope soared high out of reach.

"ANIK! GET DOWN NOW!" came another voice, angry and shocked. One of the officers was shouting at the Waterbender, pointing at the ground repeatedly as he ran.

Kazon gritted his teeth. After his shock fall in the palace, he wasn't too keen to jump back into the air anytime soon. Regardless, he pushed off, the flames under his feet launching him into the sky. Kazon ascended quickly, focusing on Anik and the rope, before finally grabbing it with both hands and clinging on for dear life.

"Nice flying. Good to see you made it aboard the Airship Crazy," Anik laughed from somewhere above him.

"What the hell happened? Why do our plans never work!?" Kazon shouted into the wind, his eyes squeezed shut tightly.

"My dear old Dad happened. I'll explain everything on the way! Tilia's already inside! Let's get in and go pick up Jahn!" Anik yelled down as the airship flew onwards over the city.

* * *

"Sweetheart!?"

Eska emerged from the back room and smiled slightly. She was more than relieved.

"Oh, there you are, thank the spirits," Ornatok said with a sigh of relief as he took her into his arms. "I saw what happened at the palace. It's awful."

Eska nodded. "I am just glad you are safe, my icy rabbaroo. I feared the worst when you did not return. Are you injured in any way?"

Ornatok shrugged. "Extra hours. I'm sorry I worried you, I'm absolutely fine," he said with a smile, kissing his wife delicately. "I'm very sorry about the news, you must be heartbroken."

A slight frown creased Eska's face. Her husband could read her like an open book and his mouth opened in surprise. "You don't know? Oh sweetheart, I'm so sorry but…they found your brother's body."

Eska was still. A million thoughts went racing through her mind. She was not surprised, given the whole palace had been annihilated, but she was definitely sad. Desna had not supported her choice in husband but even so, he had been her brother. A tear rolled down her cheek as she clutched her hands to her heart.

Her husband hugged her tightly, stroking her hair gently as she remained completely still. When he released her, she looked up into his eyes. "Now what will become of the city?"

Ornatok touched her cheek gently, caressing her face with affection. "You're the rightful ruler. If we help rebuild, we could live in the palace. We could have money and a good life for our son."

Eska pulled away from him and sat down. "My brother is dead. I will not usurp his throne immediately, for money or otherwise."

"But sweetheart, think of the life Iluq could lead if we ruled the city…"

Eska's eyes narrowed and she looked at her husband quickly. "Why are you saying this? You first talked about the Spirit Eaters, now this. Did you have any involvement in this?"

Ornatok rolled his eyes and laughed before realising she was serious. His smile fell from his face and he took her hands gently. "How can you think that? It was the Avatar's doing, not mine."

Eska shook her head. "That is not true. The Avatar's friends came here earlier and explained what happened. The Spirit Eaters did this, not them."

Her husband straightened up quickly, as if electrified. "What?" he asked in a hushed tone.

"The Avatar is in fact asleep in the back room. Iluq is watching over him. I do not believe they did this," Eska said honestly. "Why come back here after killing my brother? No. It was not them," she repeated.

Her husband's face was stony. He pointed at the back room and raised an eyebrow, the question clear on his face. When she nodded, Ornatok's face became angry and he made for the door.

"Ornatok, stop."

His hand froze on the door. Ornatok turned his head to see his wife standing in the middle of the room. The look on her face was not one he enjoyed seeing. "I need words with him. He did this," Ornatok spat.

Eska shook her head once more. "Where were you? You did not have extra hours at work. I checked with Iluka. WHERE WERE YOU?" she asked in a raised voice.

Ornatok turned to face Eska, his hands held out wide. "You don't believe me?"

"I…do not. Tell me, Ornatok. Were you at the palace?" she asked. Her expression made it clear. She already knew the answer.

Ornatok opened his mouth but no words came out. He held up a hand as if to demonstrate a point but quickly realised the futility of his argument. "You don't understand. They said if the palace is destroyed, we could become rulers," he finally said.

Eska closed her eyes. She knew where this conversation was leading but hoped that she was wrong.

"I joined them for you; they promised us a better life! You can't be happy with…with this!" Ornatok exclaimed, gesturing to their tiny house.

His wife stepped forward and opened her eyes, staring at Ornatok in the eyes with anger. "I was happy," she said in a flat tone, "with you. I was happy with our son. I gave up my life for you. I gave up my brother, my home, my right to rule. I forbade you from joining those people but you disobeyed me. You put our son at risk. You cannot possibly expect me to forgive you."

Ornatok was silent, his mouth slack in shock. "Sweetheart…"

Eska pushed him away. "You need to leave, Ornatok. No more lies in my home."

Her husband frowned in disbelief. At the back, the door opened and Iluq poked his head round the corner, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "Daddy?"

"Iluq, go back inside, son. Daddy's just having a bit of an argument wi-"

"GET OUT! YOUR NEW FRIENDS KILLED MY BROTHER!" Eska yelled loudly, her face distorted in anger. She took a few steps forward but Ornatok backed away quickly. He stood by the main door, clearly shocked by her reaction.

"Eska, please, I'm so sorry but this was all for you!"

"NO!" Eska shouted loudly. A tear rolled down her cheek as she thrust her arms forward sharply. Water spewed from the kitchen sink, rose from the plant pots and even trickled from the walls to create a huge torrent of liquid that Eska sent flying at her husband. The water crashed into Ornatok but the force of her attack did not stop there. The entire front wall fractured and exploded out into the street, sending Ornatok flying.

The Spirit Eater picked himself off the floor as Eska sent ice shards his way. He blocked them with ease but realised the extent of Eska's rage. "Please, don't make me…I'm sorry!" he yelled at her but Eska was beyond reason. She danced towards the considerably large hole in the house on light feet and the snow outside began to swirl. Before she could release her attack, Ornatok took one longing glance at her face and took off down the street.

"What…where's Daddy going?" Iluq asked in total confusion.

Eska turned around, breathing heavily, just as a roaring sound echoed from above. From nowhere, a huge Future Industries airship descended on her house, coming to rest above. A metal cable fell quickly and landed in the snow just in front of the new hole. Tilia span down on a harness, delicately placing down in the street as onlookers gazed in amazement.

"In. There," Eska spat through gritted teeth. Tilia looked concerned and curious but quickly made for the back room. She dragged Jahn awkwardly through the house and clasped the harness around his unconscious body. "Thanks for the help…" she muttered but the glare Eska gave her made her stare at the floor in embarrassment. "Seriously though, thank you for everything. Good luck…" Tilia said sincerely, before she grabbed the cable and it retreated up into the airship. The Avatar was gone from Eska's life but he'd already turned it upside down.

As the airship began to ascend quickly, leaving the Northern Water Tribe, Eska turned back to her son. He seemed amazed and confused, if a little upset. "Your Dad has left for a while, my little turtle-duck."

Iluq's lip quivered. "What will we do now he's not here?"

Eska inhaled deeply to control her emotions. She looked into her son's eyes and stroked his hair. The corners of her mouth curled upwards into a rare smile. "You're all I need, Iluq. All I will ever need. But it's our duty to help rebuild the palace. We need to go back. As long as you are with me, I'm home."


	10. Lights in the Dark

((Hi there reader! I'm very sorry for the week delay in the uploads; I've been extremely busy so please consider it as a mid-season break! I shall, however, try to stick to my once-a-week uploads but please bear with me in case this isn't the case I have a lot on my plate at the moment! On the upside, I've planned out all of Book Two and the start of Book Three so at least I know where this is going! Hope you enjoy!))

* * *

Lights in the Dark:

"Jahn's missing!" Tilia exclaimed loudly as she burst into the room. Jinora and Anik both turned their heads in confusion, standing quickly as Anik asked, "Missing where?"

Tilia frowned at him. "Somewhere on the airship, obviously," she said in a slightly scathing tone. The metalbender did not mean to be so sarcastic but it had just slipped out.

Jinora made for the doorway, her robe swishing as she walked. "Alright, we'll split up and look for him. He's been unconscious for a couple of days now so he might just be a little confused."

The trio began to search the airship thoroughly, checking every room for the Avatar. The majority of the airship was empty; the only people on board were themselves and the crew. Tilia was more than concerned; she'd been caring for Jahn since he saved their lives in the Spirit Eater's secret headquarters. Occasionally, he'd murmured random names aloud. Roku had been a past Avatar, she was sure. What was Jahn seeing in his dreams? She hoped that they were not full of darkness and terror. Jahn didn't need any more of that.

Her search was proving futile. The airship was considerably large but Tilia knew the layout of it better than most. Her time spent with Asami had paid off; Tilia's understanding of Future Industries technology was advanced even for an adult.

Tilia slammed the door to the room shut and sighed angrily. She forced her emotions to settle, closing her eyes. One of her heels struck the metal floor heavily as Tilia sensed all movement on the airship. The information she received was confusing, muddled and distorted. The airship was in flight and people were constantly moving around. Despite this, she could feel sense Jahn somewhere above. Smiling, Tilia set off in pursuit.

Her chase took her to the very top deck of the airship. The air was chilly in the darkened sky, the clouds lazily passing them by as they drifted through the night. Jahn was lying on his back along the deck, staring up at the stars. When Tilia approached, he didn't react at all, even when she lay down next to him.

They lay in silence for a short while. The stars were glimmering brightly, vast lights in the dark.

"Thank you," Tilia whispered eventually.

Jahn shifted his shoulder slightly and sniffed. "For?"

"Saving us all. You stopped us from being hurt by that explosion," Tilia said with a faint smile.

"If it wasn't for me, none of you would have been in harm's way…" Jahn replied quietly. His voice was slightly croaky, as expected from a few days non-use.

Tilia nudged him with one arm affectionately. "We all volunteered. You were right about everything; it just seems like you're always in the most dangerous situations because you're the only one fit to handle them."

"Am I though? I can't even control the Avatar State. I barely remember anything from after the explosion…"

The lights in the sky continued to twinkle. The airship rumbled onwards as Tilia considered Jahn's point.

"From what I saw, you did a pretty good job of helping us all, whether you did it deliberately or not. Maybe you're in control even when you think you aren't. You could be full of surprises," she said with a grin.

Jahn tutted, smiling despite himself. "Says you. So you're an Earthbender and a Metalbender huh? Kept that quiet."

Tilia was still beside him. Her presence was highly comforting, even though Jahn had meant to take some time out alone. "Yeah. Asami hired me personally and once she found out, I helped with all her prototypes. It's easier to build when you can manipulate metal," she chuckled, clutching something imaginary in the air above her.

"You're good friends, huh?"

"More than friends. She's like an older sister to me. I've only known her for three years but they've been the best."

Jahn turned his head sideways slightly and glanced at the girl. "Any other family?" he asked, curious to know more about this strange girl. She seemed an enigma to him. Kuvu and Jinora were both easy to read but Tilia was complicated.

"Father, mother, older brother, cousins. Pretty much the lot. How about you?" Tilia said with a shrug.

Jahn closed his eyes. "I used to have a mother until the Red Lotus…well. My father left when I was young. If it wasn't for everyone here, I'd be alone."

Something touched his hand but he didn't pull away. He felt Tilia's small fingers wrap around his own and the warmth of her hand was more comforting than any words. They lay together, hand in hand, staring up at the sky. Maybe Tilia had a point. One day, he'd have to face his fears.

A thought sprang to his mind. "What made you leave everything behind? You had a life back in Republic City."

"Asami asked. She needed a representative."

Jahn laughed softly. "We both know that's not fully true. You've not even bothered to contact her since, have you?"

Tilia shook her head slightly. "No. You're right. I don't know; Kazon once said to me that I don't have to be quiet and shy and just live a life I already have. If I want something, I should go for it. I guess I took it to heart after all the fighting was done."

"Well, I'm glad you decided to join. Not just because of the Metalbending, although that IS useful…" Jahn said truthfully, trailing off slightly.

Tilia nudged him in the side again, making him smile.

A hatch to the inside of the airship slid open a few metres away and Anik's head popped up through it. He looked around quickly and spotted the pair, who both sat up. "You're here!? Aw man, Tilia, you could have let us know! We've been panicking for ages."

* * *

Jahn sighed. His eyes were shut tightly and his breathing was steady. The room was as silent as he could make it. It was about time for some answers and there was only one person who could advise him on this issue.

A light breeze drifted across his face. Jahn opened his eyes quickly, confused at the bright light which shone down on him. He was sat in a field, the sun bright above, spirits drifting around him lazily.

"The Spirit World? I didn't mean for this. Korra!?" he shouted out, alerting the spirits to his presence.

"Avatar, please cease your noise. Some of us are trying to rest…" a spirit murmured as it floated past. It hovered just above the ground and had the body of a cloud. A small lizard head poked out of the fluff, one eye opened halfway.

Jahn stood up, taller than the spirit, which drifted around him slowly. "Sorry. I'm looking for Avatar Korra's spirit but I ended up here. I don't suppose you could help me instead?"

The lizard's eyes opened fully, irritated but awake. "We know nothing about your troubles, nor a way to assist you. In any case, we would not help a human. You could be one of the evil ones."

Jahn frowned. "I'm the Avatar, I'm not evil," he protested. "Why do you have a grudge against humans?"

The spirit spun around to face him. Around, some of the other spirits were drawing closer. "Your kind is destroying ours. We will not sit around whilst the humans invade our home."

Something was wrong here. Jahn felt extremely uneasy; even though the sun was shining, the spirits made him nervous. He had no bending to protect himself in case things went south.

"The Spirit Eaters. I know of them and I'm trying to stop them. Please, don't hate the rest of humanity just because of what some idiots are doing," Jahn pleaded.

The lizard spirit bared its teeth. Rows of tiny, spine like teeth glinted in the sunlight. "All humans are the same."

Jahn shook his head. "No, you're wrong. We're all vastly different; you can't generalise us into one category!"

The spirits around had formed a circle around Jahn, leaving him with no escape. If he relied on his instincts, Jahn would have fled already, having sensed the threat. Sadly, he had a duty as the Avatar to try and talk the spirits down. If he didn't, it could lead to some very bad feelings between the two worlds.

The cloud-lizard hissed. "It lies. Zhansha has shown us your ways. Humanity is a plague and we must cure it," it said venomously, before darting at Jahn. He dropped to the floor and the spirit passed over him. Rolling sideways, he dodged a number of barbs which embedded into the ground where he had stood.

"Stop!" he shouted, but the spirits were enraged. The sky above them had darkened and boiling red clouds obscured the sun. Thunder boomed as the spirits swirled, crawled and flew around him. Jahn jumped for a break in the circle but the spirits blocked him. One spirit, a large behemoth of vines and soil, held out two large arms and a bolt of energy burst forth. It hurtled towards Jahn, who gritted his teeth and held up his hands to block it.

The spirits all froze. In the centre of their midst, Jahn stood with glowing eyes. In his hands, the bolt of energy, turning over and over in an intricate figure of eight. He turned slowly, gazing at the spirits around him. They were all clearly warped by this unheard-of Zhansha. His new mission had revealed itself. The Spirit Eaters had vanished but they had a new lead. The name of Zhansha would light their way through the dark.

The bolt of energy swirled around his hands quicker and quicker until it became a blinding circle of light around his wrists. Jahn span quickly, unleashing the energy in an arc, which struck a number of spirits. They all flew backwards, stunned but unharmed, as Jahn dived for the gap. He broke free and immediately broke into a sprint.

As he ran, he allowed the Avatar State to fade. Somehow, he was able to control it in the Spirit World. The material world, however, was a very different matter. Behind him, the spirits had not pursued him. The Avatar slowed to a jog and finally stopped underneath the shelter of a nearby tree, ready to return to his body. What the hell had just happened?

* * *

"Energybending."

"Well yeah, I guessed that. I was referring to the spirits though," Jahn said with a raised eyebrow. Jinora sent him a funny look and turned away.

"So they actually attacked? Great, a maniac group and now angry spirits," Anik complained. "We're doing fantastically."

Kazon shrugged in response. "In my opinion, we're doing fine. If we hadn't discovered all this, there could be a war and people could have been hurt. If anything, we're on the right lines. Aside from all the fugitive activity, of course."

"Oh come on Kazon, admit it; you had a fun time," Anik said with a chuckle.

The Fire Prince didn't respond but did grin cheekily, his answer written plain on his face.

Jinora pushed her way past Kazon and sat down in one of the plush seats in the airship main hall. She looked around at the others, clearly waiting for them to mention something else. "Are we all missing the fact Jahn managed to use the Avatar State without any issues?"

Jahn made a quick cutting motion at his neck for Jinora but quickly stopped when all eyes turned on him. "It's probably the abundance of spiritual energy. It might have even been a one-off. I've used it reflexively before; remember Zuko's statue?" he asked Kazon, who nodded in response.

Tilia sneezed loudly, startling them all. "Sorry," she whispered, wiping her nose with a handkerchief.

"Zhansha. I'll try to find that name in the book," Jinora murmured, grabbing the tome from a nearby table and leafing through its pages. "I've never heard of it, so it can't be a powerful one like Raava or Vaatu."

"Whilst Jinora tries to find an impossible name in a book the size of the Earth Kingdom, how about we listen in on the radio? We might hear something about the Spirit Eaters," Jahn suggested, earning a glare from Jinora. He winked at her, making her roll her eyes and continue reading.

Kazon, Tilia, Jahn and Anik all left the main hall for the bridge, discussing the past events amongst themselves. Once they reached the bridge, Jahn made to knock on the door but it opened rapidly before his fist could even touch it. A crewman ran out and nearly sent Jahn flying. He turned quickly, a look of surprise on his face, as he thrust a piece of paper forward. "Avatar! Someone was on the radio for you! Look, here!" he said, flapping the paper about.

"Yeah, alright, thanks," Jahn said slightly sharpish. The crewman looked affronted and stepped back inside the bridge, leaving the door open. The group clustered around Jahn, craning their necks to read the paper but he moved to the side. "Wait a minute," he ordered.

The writing on the paper wasn't considerable but the message it conveyed was strange beyond belief. Jahn reread it thrice, his eyes narrowing with each reading. The message was hard to believe.

"So?" Anik asked, hands upturned questioningly.

Jahn looked up from the paper. "It's from a spirit. A spirit used the radio, apparently, to tell us what caused the Northern Water Tribe disaster."

Kazon frowned. "Spirits can use our technology?" he asked, turning to Tilia.

The girl nodded. "There's nothing stopping them. They just choose not to. I guess it was important; what else does it say Jahn?"

The Avatar was silent. He just stared at the paper with a shocked expression on his face. Tilia carefully placed a hand on his shoulder and it seemed to shake him from his trance.

"The…spirit…says that the Spirit Eaters are split into groups and if we truly want to help stop them, we need to travel to Ba Sing Se. The spirits will fight back against the threat. The base explosion was their doing…" Jahn whispered.

Tilia covered her mouth with her hands in shock. Anik whistled lowly and lent against the wall in amazement. "They caused it. The palace, Desna, all those lives…" Kazon said quietly, staring at the wall.

They all stood in silence, honouring the lost. They all looked sideways as Jahn crumpled the paper up in one fist, his face contorted in rage. "Revenge. This is what happens, every time…" he spat out through gritted teeth. "We need to end all this…this…stupidity. If this is true and the spirits have done this, then they're in trouble!"

The Avatar stormed off down the hallway, prompting the others to follow. "Jahn, wait! Where are you going?" Anik shouted after him.

Jahn didn't even break stride as he shouted over his shoulder, "To ask Jinora what she knows about the Blue Spirit."

* * *

"Only then will the spirits find peace," Jahn finished to numerous nods from the team. All of them seemed to agree with his plan without question. The Avatar nodded as he clapped his hands together. Once they landed, their plan would launch into a-

The claxon blared through the airship, making them all jump. Red lights began to flash and the captain's voice sounded above it all. "ALL CREW, ALERT LEVEL FIVE, REPORT TO-" the captain shouted before an explosion cut him off. The airship rocked precariously, sending Tilia to her knees and the others stumbling around awkwardly.

"What the hell?" Anik swore loudly, clutching at a nearby chair which had slid towards him. Another boom echoed around the hall and a large cloud of black smoke began to billow past the vast windows.

"Pretty sure that means we're on fire!" Kazon said in surprise. He rolled up his sleeves and ran for the exit. "I'm going to help put it out!" he shouted. "Stay here!"

Jahn frowned at his imperialistic tone but Anik pushed past quickly. "I'll use the clouds to help!" he said, following Kazon out of the hall.

"What's happened? Engine failure?" Jinora asked in slight panic, looking around quickly.

Tilia shook her head. "From normal flying? Highly unlikely. Either we've flown into something or somebody's sabotaged the airship."

Jahn steadied himself as the airship dipped in the sky worryingly. "Sabotage? Why!?"

"Maybe one of the Spirit Eaters snuck on board at the Nort-" Jinora began to say before another boom shook the entire airship and the constant rumble of the engines spluttered and died.

They hung in the air for a moment, suspended by momentum, before the nose of the airship began to dip and the entire floating behemoth began to creak and groan as it fell from the sky. Inside, Jahn, Tilia and Jinora all grabbed nearby furnishings tightly, watching the clouds flash past the windows as they plummeted towards the ground.

The floor shook as the engines restarted, bursting back into life, but the airship was already falling too fast. On the bridge, the captain grabbed the controls and pulled back with all his might. The airship began to level out slowly, slowly, until the nose was almost horizontal once more.

Too late.

The underside of the airship scraped the earth lightly before the rest of the airship followed suit, grinding into the ground and tearing the entire underbelly out. The metal frame began to creak and split apart under the force of the impact, creating a horrible screeching sound that echoed throughout the airship. The sheer physical damage to the airship was too much as it began to roll; the middle of the ship burst apart, fire billowing from the back.

The Future Industries airship split down the centre, ripping apart from the middle. The two halves of the once great airship finally came to rest in the very middle of a golden Earth Kingdom field as a farmer stared in total shock at the wreckage.

"I'm gonna need a bigger shovel," he murmured in shock, staring at the shovel in his hands.


	11. Hunted

Hunted:

"Th' name's Tym! Mighty nice to meetcha, Avatar!" the farmer said with a wide grin, displaying a few missing teeth.

Jahn nodded back at him, holding the back of his neck tightly with one clenched hand. "Yeah, same to you," he said through gritted teeth. Their landing had sucked.

Jinora sat on the bed next to him, dabbing at her forehead lightly with a ragged cloth. The wound was not deep or large but was clearly hurting the Airbender. Tilia lay on the floor, her leg raised slightly to prevent further injury. She'd sprained her right leg badly in the crash and could barely stand. Neither Kazon or Anik had been found, although members of the crew were starting to limp into the small farming village in which they'd crashed.

"Don' s'pose I could ask ya a favour now?" the farmer, Tym, asked with the same wide smile. He was clearly thrilled to have the Avatar and the leader of the Air Nation in his tiny home.

Jahn looked up at him, squinting through the screaming headache he was experiencing. When he didn't reply, the farmer clapped his hands together, sending dust billowing into the air. "Thankee Avatar! I've…I've always wanted t' show one'f you fancy folk me art!" he said with a dramatic gesture, seemingly flourishing a piece of parchment from nowhere. He thrust it at Jahn, who recoiled instinctively, falling sideways off the bed and onto the floor. Swearing loudly, he tried to pick himself back up but Jinora had already taken the parchment.

"This…this is actually really good. How on earth did you manage to make these patterns without expensive equipment?" she marvelled, staring at the artwork. The farmer was clearly poor, yet his creation was breath-taking. The colours swirled and danced across the page, splashing life and brightness onto the parchment with every glance. Beyond all the colour and the intricacy, however, the landscape was clear: a soft golden field, glowing bright beyond a thousand stars in a deep blue night sky, host to a number of joyous, dancing spirits. Jahn could only stare in window at the art, entranced by the unexpected beauty of it all.

"Aw, tha's very sweet of you, lil' lady. Is not all tha', but I am pleased with 'ow it looks," the farmer said, genuinely pleased. He handed them all a small cup of rather unclean water, smiling at them all in turn. His home was a tiny little hut, built from the resources around. In one corner, a kitchen. Another, the bedroom. The entire thing was one open room and it even made Eska's home look like a mansion.

The rickety door opened and a woman stuck her head through it, her tangled grey hair covering most her face. "Oi, Tym, there's anothe' shown up!"

Jahn stood up quickly, only to regret it immediately as his head swirled quickly. "Ah, head rush…" he said before sitting down again heavily, his eyes unfocused.

Tym the farmer clapped his hands together again and made for the door. "You all rest up, imma go find out who thi' new 'un is!" he said almost inarticulately before leaving his home.

"I hope they've found Anik and Kazon…" Tilia said weakly, sounding on the verge of tears.

They all sat in silence, contemplating what would happen if the farmer returned with a sorrowful face and dreaded news. Neither Kazon or Anik had appeared; after charging out to assist with the fire, the airship had simply broken apart, hurtling them all into the air and against anything not pinned down. Everything had flown sideways, over and over, crashing into pieces as the airship had rolled to a halt. The tear in the hull that Tilia had ripped apart was still oozing smoke, even an hour later.

"GOOD NEWS!" the famer shouted as he jumped back inside a short while later, startling them all so bad that Tilia almost jumped off the floor and immediately cried out when her foot hit the floor. The farmer immediately rushed over and helped her become more comfortable, removing a tattered shawl to help support her ankle. "So sorry there missy! I 'ope you're a bi' more comfy now eh," he said kindly.

As Tilia smiled gently, thanking the man, something shifted in the corner. A twirling mass, unseen before, curling outwards until it sat staring at them all. A small spirit, long like a snake but fluffy like a rabbit, with a strange hair-bob on its head. Its huge eyes gazed up at them sweetly but when it growled at them, tiny needle-like teeth became visible.

"Whoa now lil' critter, they're friendly!" the farmer exclaimed, holding his hands up quickly. The spirit looked at him and shook itself, clearly satisfied with his statement. It began to shamble out of the hut slowly, taking forever as its body was incredibly long, supported only by six little fluffy legs.

"What was that cute thing?" Tilia asked, peering out from one open eye.

The farmer scratched his head. "Tha's th' spirit which looks after us. Th' other spirits, they don' take kindly t' us humans livin' in their terri'tree."

"Territory? But we're near the Northern Air Temple. Spirits don't have territory here and we all share this world anyway," Jinora said, confused.

The farmer shook his head. "Not 'ere miss! Tha' paintin' I did was of before they all go' angry f'r some reason. We all lived 'appily for a time but then they all started getting' mad at us all, demandin' we leave! Well I said, with respec' spirits, we ain't leavin' but they go' all riled up and then this'un came n' stopped 'em from attackin'!

Jinora winced as she dabbed her cut, which had finished bleeding but she didn't seem to notice. "The spirits are angry at humans? So it's happening on the mainland too…" she murmured. "What are the Spirit Eaters up to?"

"No idea, but does anyone else find his accent basically unintelligible?" came a voice from the door. Anik walked in, clutching his hand tightly to his chest, covered in soot and looked pretty worse for wear. The trio all made noise, welcoming their friend back, clearly relieved that the Waterbender was relatively unharmed.

"Yeah yeah, I'm fine. Kazon is too; in fact, he's literally in fighting shape," Anik said ruefully, sitting down carefully. "I got burnt pretty badly though; when the ship went down, the explosion caught me on this arm. Stings like a buzzardwasp."

Jahn inspected the arm carefully, noticing the damaged skin on Anik's hand. "Wow, that's gotta suck. You didn't have to go and help but I really appreciate it, that was incredible bravery," he admitted.

Anik chuckled lightly. "Well, thanks man. I'll risk my life more often then; shame my Dad couldn't be here to see it…" he muttered but then grinned widely. "Kazon's outside. He's just dealing with our little traitor," he said, clearly waiting for the response.

Jahn stood up quickly. "They found who caused this!?" he said in a sharp tone. Without waiting for an answer, he strode outside and shielded his eyes from the light. Despite the change in light levels, the sky was a sullen grey and thunder boomed in the distance. A storm was coming.

Kazon was stood, talking to a man who was slumped on the ground. A small throng of farmers surrounded them, immensely curious as to the strangers who dropped into their midst. As Jahn approached, Kazon noticed his friend and made to intercept him.

"You're alright? Good. He's not talking, Jahn, but I think he's a Spirit Eater. He's definitely a Waterbender; he attacked us when we tried to stop the fire," Kazon explained. The man looked up, clearly angry at his failure.

"Why did you—" Jahn began to ask, but the man spat at his feet before he could finish. "You weren't meant to leave. We needed you stranded so we could finish the Work," the man said.

Kazon and Jahn exchanged a look as Jinora emerged from the tiny hut. A few other small huts surrounded them, forming a tiny settlement with a few fields behind. A forest loomed ominously behind the fields, threatening danger.

"Not talking huh?" Jahn said snidely. The man seemed rather talkative in his presence. Outranking a Fire Nation Royal was quietly satisfying.

"What's the Work?" the Fire Prince asked, a frown evident on his face.

The man glared at him. "We need power to help save people. The Avatar is the most powerful because he controls all the elements. We need that power."

Jahn laughed. "You can't. It's my responsibility alone. That's kind of the point of me being here," he said with a condescending smile.

"Not anymore. We exist to help all mankind but we need to become like you," he said, fanatic fervour lighting up his eyes. "The most powerful spirits hold the key."

Jinora clenched her fists. "What do you intend to do with them?"

The man grinned at her. "Sacrifices have to be made for the greater good."

Jinora's eyes widened. She turned to Jahn and grabbed him by the shoulders, staring into his eyes in panic. "The elemental spirits! That's what I was reading about! If they use that technique…"

"They can control more than one element!?" Jahn realised. "That's impossible! At best, surely they'd just be able to resist…"

"Resist that form of bending more effectively. Nobody could stop them," Kazon said in a hushed tone.

Jinora released Jahn abruptly, staring up at the mountains which housed the charred remains of the Northern Air Temple. "We need to find out which they're going to go after. Nobody knows where the Earth and Fire…oh no…" she said, understanding the plan at last. "Qi-lóng. He's still in Republic City and everyone knows it."

Jahn inhaled deeply. "Back to Republic City then. As long as we beat them to the spirit, we can stop them from whatever it is that-"

Something tripped him from behind, sending him crashing into the dirt heavily. As he landed, he could hear Kazon and Jinora tumbling down too and felt a splash of water land on his hand. The Avatar twisted sideways to see what had tripped him but a huge torrent of water crashed into his chest and froze immediately, leaving only his arms and head sticking out. He was trapped.

"I don't care what they said, I gave up my life to crash this damn thing and I deserve a reward!" the man screamed. He was stood off to the side, bending the water at all three of them. He looked manic, as expected from a survivor of a terrifying airship crash, although his mania seemed directed at Jahn. "Raava will be mine!" he yelled, lifting Jahn into the air with his bending. Both of the others were trapped as he was, struggling to free themselves from the ice, whereas the farmers had all scattered.

Something flew from the side and knocked into the Spirit Eater, breaking his concentration. Jahn dropped to the floor and landed awkwardly, the ice block cracking slightly as he hit the dirt floor. The spirit from earlier was attacking, sending small spines flying towards the Spirit Eater from its back. The Spirit Eater seemed unfazed, however. He blasted it back with water and turned back to Jahn.

The spirit roared surprisingly loudly, startling them all. It began to shorten in length but build in size, clearly changing into a more powerful shape. Before it could even manage to attack again, water began to twirl around it in an intricate pattern. The spirit began to glow brightly as the water pooled above it, creating a dome.

"You first!" the man shouted, clearly far beyond reason.

"NO!" Jinora shouted, but it was too late. The spirit began to sparkle and vanished into a thousand pieces of energy, which coalesced into the dome and the water shone intensely for a split second. The Spirit Eater began to bring the water closer, clearly excited about the incoming energy.

Jahn yelled out as he slammed his heels into the floor. The ground split apart and raced towards the Spirit Eater, creating a minuscule fissure under his feet. It was enough. The man lost his balance as the ground shifted, causing him to stumble. The water splashed to the floor and the spirit's energies were released, soaring off into the sky above.

"HOW DARE YOU!" the man yelled, aiming at Jahn once again.

The water around Jahn immediately melted as Anik emerged from the hut, drawn from all the shouting. The Avatar leapt to his feet and knocked the man back with a blast of air. He hit a hut wall and crumpled to the floor.

"What's going on!?" Anik shouted, his injured hand supported under his other armpit. His bright hair was dirty and charred but his expression was alert.

Before anyone could respond, however, the ground began to shake violently. They all stumbled slightly, attempting to right themselves before they all fell over. Beyond the small village, in the green fields, a huge sinkhole yawned wider and wider. The ground fell in rapidly, disappearing as if it had never been there. As they looked on, a gigantic insect crawled from the crevice, shaking the dirt from its back. Eight huge legs supported a massive body, which in turn sustained the many-eyed head which turned to look at them. Mandibles clicked as the creature swayed on the spot slightly. Its eyes were black as night and it seemed to be cover in tiny brown hairs, giving it a revolting appearance. The abdomen was just as big but flashed brightly with yellow-green light, just like a firefly. It ended in a small sting, akin to a wasps, but was easily the size of a normal sword. The creature watched them carefully but began to move towards them, gaining speed as it came.

"What the hell is that!?" Anik exclaimed, his eyes wide in fear.

"It's a spirit!" Jinora exclaimed, looking just as scared. It was this reaction that frightened Jahn most; Jinora was the one in the team who was always unfazed. It was probably wise to sit this one out.

The farmers were all yelling and collecting what little belongings they had, before rushing off in different directions. Jahn immediately ran for the hut, aware that Tilia could certainly not run on her leg. He hoped the others would stop the spirit, or at least delay it.

Inside, Tilia had managed to clamber onto the small bedframe. She turned her head when Jahn entered, looking obviously worried about the commotion. "Jahn! What-"

"He killed the spirit! Now the others are attacking! We need to GO!" he shouted in panic, grabbing her under one arm and hoisting her up. She leant on him with one arm round his shoulders, hopping through the door.

Just in time. Something titanic crashed through the hut, completely destroying it just as they hobbled out. Jahn caught a fleeting glimpse of the insect spirit turning to face them, annoyed that it had missed.

"No! Please, spirit, that was everything I had!" the farmer shouted from behind them. Tym ran forward, his arms outstretched in peace, his eyes streaming. The spirit looked at him through a multitude of glittering eyes, before it turned completely within a single second and impaled the farmer with its stinger.

"GET AWAY FROM HIM!" Jinora yelled, distraught and furious. She span into the air, her robes flapping wildly, as she unleashed a small tornado at the spirit. It pushed the farmer away, who landed heavily and clutched at the gaping hole in his stomach. The tornado hit the spirit square-on, disorientating but not stopping it.

Jinora ran to the farmer's side and fell to her knees. "Hold on, we can get you help…" she said through teary eyes. Before them, Kazon engaged the spirit with fiery attacks. The insect screamed loudly, chittering away to itself, attempting to get round the fire.

Tym closed his eyes. "I don' think so, lil' lady. Got me good. Jus'…make sure people knew abou' my art, eh? I'd like tha'…" he said in a whisper, before his head leant softly on the floor and the farmer breathed no more.

"JINORA, GET MOVING!" Kazon yelled at her over his shoulder, taking slow steps back as the spirit brushed off his attacks.

All around them, smaller insect spirits were climbing from the ground and were harassing the remaining farmers. Chaos had gripped their small, peaceful settlement, which was systematically being destroyed by the angry spirits.

Anik sprinted over and supported Tilia's other arm. Together, he and Anik lifted her almost off the floor and they began to edge towards the forest slowly, unable to watch for the others.

Jinora climbed to her feet as Kazon drew level with her. He yelled loudly, a large flume of fire erupting from his mouth, but the spirit no longer seemed fazed by the heat. It lunged forwards and almost took Kazon's head off, before it stopped abruptly. The pair saw their opportunity and ran after the others, glancing back in case the spirit followed them.

It didn't. Small spirals of water were slowly rising around it in the same manner as before. The Spirit Eater stood defiant, waterbending the spirals round and round, attempting to destroy the spirit and harness its powers.

The spirit struggled against the water, locked in place for a moment. A single person, however, proved to be too weak for this spirit. It shook slightly before darting forward, breaking the water and it pounced on the man. His screams echoed loudly around the area, sending horrified chills down Jahn's spine, until suddenly he fell quiet.

"It's coming! Quickly, we need to get into the trees!" Kazon shouted from behind them. They'd crossed the field already and the forest lay silent before them. "It's too big to chase us through!" the Fire Prince continued.

Jahn nodded, lifting Tilia once more. They stumbled into the trees and turned, watching as the spirit sped across the field towards them. Jinora and Kazon were running at a dead sprint, intent on reaching safety.

They made it, but only just. They fell into the cover of the trees, totally out of breath and giddy at their success. Behind them, the huge spirit clawed at the nearest trees and screamed at them through its mandibles. It began to claw at one tree frantically, desperate to get to the humans just out of its reach.

"No chance!" Jahn shouted at it. The spirit seemed just as mad as the Spirit Eater. Neither side was thinking rationally anymore.

The spirit screamed once again and charged the tree. The plant shook slightly, its roots creaking as they were torn from the ground. The insect charged again and again, pushing the tree further back until it stood at a perilous angle.

"Does anyone NOT want to wait for the giant spirit monster to eat us!?" Anik asked in a shaky voice.

Jahn nodded. "Tilia, this might be difficult. We're here though. If you need to stop, just say, but we'll have to move fast," he said in a gentle tone.

The girl nodded and took a deep breath. "I know. Ok, I'm ready…" she said, not sounding ready at all.

The Avatar and his friend both heaved, lifting Tilia onto her good leg and they continued on, down a small embankment and deeper into the forest. Jinora and Kazon ran slowly with them, constantly looking back at the spirit which had finally entered the forest.

"It's getting closer…" Jinora said in a hushed tone. Something about the forest made them all feel uneasy and it wasn't just because of the murderous spirit following them.

The crashing behind them continued for a while before it stopped completely. It took them a while to notice but Jinora shushed them, causing them to stop. Tilia sat down against a tree in relief, pain evident on her face.

"Sounds like it's given up. Thank the sp—well, not the spirits…" Anik said, clearly harbouring a grudge against their kind after the relentless chase.

Jahn sighed and wiped his eyes with his hand. "How're we going to get to Republic City at this rate? Tilia can barely walk and we've got half a continent to cross, even without spirits attacking us left, right and centre."

Jinora also sat down, clearly tired from the non-stop action. "We need a radio, so we can call for help," she muttered. Kazon nodded, clearly supporting the idea.

"So we find a town and we use theirs, yes?" Jahn said. "First things first. We need to get out of this forest."

"And lure that spirit to another village so they can be hurt like Tym?" Jinora asked, clearly upset about the farmer's death.

The Avatar sighed. Letting go of those emotions had been very difficult for him but now wasn't the time to be all mushy. "It was a shame but it wasn't because of us. The Spirit Eater…" he began to defend himself, but Jinora shrugged.

"I know, it was his fault. How can you have no remorse though? He helped us!" she asked him, causing Jahn to stare at the floor in shame. It was true; he barely felt anything for the farmer, as he was so intent on helping his friends. What kind of person did that? The Avatar was meant to help all people, not just those he saw fit to.

"Jinora, don't blame Jahn. We all escaped and most of the farmers did too," Kazon reasoned, but the Airbender made a disgusted noise and moved away from them.

"She's missing her husband and daughter," Tilia said quietly, causing the men to look at her at once. The girl looked up, her face rueful. "She's not as strong as you think. Her family mean the world to her and she's putting duty first. You might want to give her some space."

They all pondered her words. None of them truly had any close family to miss so intensely; Jahn was an orphan, Anik was estranged from his father and Kazon was independent. Sure, he loved his family but he'd long past put duty first.

They rested for a few minutes, enjoying the peace and quiet. As they prepared to move onwards, Anik assured them he'd be a minute and vanished behind a tree.

"Take your time…" Jahn called after him, trying to ignore the faint splashing sounds.

"I had a lot of pee stored up!" Anik retorted from cover.

"You better finish now then! Bug-boy's back!" Jahn shouted as he watched the insect emerge from the ground a few hundred metres away. It had trouble navigated between the close trees but its dense bulk simply pushed some of the smaller fauna out of the way.

"Where do we go!?" Tilia shouted, almost deafening Jahn, who was supporting her once more.

The spirit heard her and raised its ugly head. The pincers clicked quickly and a deep voice echoed around them. "OUT OF MY LAND, HUMANS!"

Anik nodded quickly. "You heard the crazy killer spirit, guys. Let's go," he said, saluting the spirit and hopping away. Kazon assisted Jahn with Tilia's weight and they all begun to run once more. The insect followed them, although its pace was not so intense as before. No longer was it hunting to harm, but simply to drive them out.

What seemed like a lifetime later, the Team stumbled through the last layer of trees. Behind them, the spirit had vanished; most likely to return to its territory. Ahead of them, a large clearing housed a large Earth Kingdom building which appeared to be surrounded by long strips of concrete. Runways.

"Is anyone thinking what I'm thinking?" Jahn asked, a grin on his face as he watched a bi-plane land smoothly on the nearest runway.

"Oh, not more crime…" Kazon moaned.

"AVATAR JAHN, STAY WHERE YOU ARE!" a voice from the building echoed, amplified by a megaphone. A spotlight turned to shine on them, fairly useless in the late afternoon sun.

"How on earth could they tell it was me?" Jahn asked in a perplexed voice.

The Team watched as satomobiles roared towards them down the runways. All too exhausted to run back into the forest, they waited for the newcomers to reach them. It didn't take the vehicles long before they were screeching to a halt in front of them.

A man in Northern Water Tribe uniform clambered out of the first vehicle and pointed at them. "We've been hunting you for days! Avatar Jahn and cohorts, you're under arrest by order of Chief Desna," he said in an imperial tone.

Anik waved half-heartedly. "Oh, hey Dad."


	12. Breaking the Ice

((Hey everyone, hope you're all well! I recently received a pm regarding some plot points that the individual felt had been missed; don't worry, I've got a list to ensure I definitely wrap everything up but if you have any questions, feel free to pm or leave a review. This is sometimes hard to follow so thanks for sticking with Jahn and co!))

* * *

Breaking the Ice:

"So you blew up the mountain and ran before we could catch you. Do you have anything to say in your defence?"

"Seriously, come on Dad, this is a pile of polarbeardog poop."

Chief Ukluk inflated slightly, clearly enraged by his son's comment. As if Anik's behaviour hadn't caused enough destruction, he was now openly defying his father. The kid had always been unruly but he'd tried his best. Ukluk had even accepted Anik's desire for another man without question. But acts such as these were crossing the line. His son was treading on very thin ice.

The room was small. It contained only a small desk and two chairs, as Ukluk had requested. He wanted the interrogations to be intense, so as to attain a full confession from the miscreants. Airport security had not been pleased at his arrival, yet had allowed to him to detain the Avatar and his compatriots. The Earth Kingdom police would be here soon but Chief Ukluk hoped he would be away with the criminals before any state disputes arose.

"….you're looking well Dad. It's been, what, a couple of years?" Anik said to him with a smile.

It was true. After Anik's breakup, he'd left his home to go travelling. He hadn't bothered returning and yet, he HAD been at the Northern Water Tribe just a few days ago. How insulting could his son be?

"Can it Anik. You're to speak to me as the Northern Water Tribe Chief of Police, not your father. This is an official investigation," he said with the full authority of his position.

The scraggy looking young man in front of him simply laughed. "Sorry to break it to you, _Chief_ , but we're innocent. In fact, you're really getting in the way of something important."

Ukluk slammed a fist on the desk, causing Anik to blink rapidly reflexively. "Anik, this is bloody serious! Our Chief is dead because of what you and the Avatar did!"

That seemed to knock some sense into him. Anik looked rather sombre as he stared at the desk. Seeing his son so full of regret made Ukluk's stomach tense up. He really did truly hope that Anik wasn't to blame but he had a job to do. If his son caused this, that would be the end of their relationship as father and son.

Anik finally looked up. "I didn't mean to belittle Desna's memory but he wasn't the great beloved Chief you all thought he was. He was harbouring criminals under the palace, a group known as the Spirit Eaters, and when we-"

"Spirit Eaters!? Under the palace? What nonsense is this!?"

"I'm telling the truth. If you ask the others—"

Ukluk tutted. "Oh, I intend to."

Anik's face was unimpressed.

* * *

The Airbender sat quietly, her hands placed flat on the desk, her head raised proudly. She appeared to have nothing to hide. Well, Ukluk would soon find that out.

"So then, Miss…sorry, what IS your name?"

"Jinora."

The name rang a bell. "And your surname? The same as your husband's, I assume?"

Her brow furrowed slightly at his comment. "No. Actually, I kept my own. It's the family name; I'm sure my father Tenzin would want it continued."

Tenzin's kid. Of course. The same stern face, the formal posture. How did the leader of the Air Nation get so wrapped up in terrorist activity?

"So then, _Jinora_ , how did you end up at the Northern Water Tribe on the day of the incident in question?" he asked, expecting the answer he already knew.

Her eyebrow raised at his question. "We jumped on an elephant koi and it swam us all the way to your doors. You know how we arrived; the same way we got away from you."

The sarcasm was completely unexpected. Ukluk span round, his hands clasped behind his back, as he stared at the woman who now seemed not confident but immensely cocky. She had a point; he knew about the airship but her attitude wasn't helping matters. Clearly these people were a bad influence on his son.

"Alright," he said, trying to keep a calm voice, "what led you to the palace and how did you manage to bring down the mountain?"

"Oh, we reeeally wanted to see where my grandfather once met a random old waterbender and then we wished reeeally hard and the mountain exploded."

Her answers were clearly open defiance of his questioning. "Look here missy, you've been arrested because you've caused the deaths of countless citizens and the death of our Chief! If you're not going to say anything in your defence then we'll see how well you talk back in one of our jails!"

"I'll just fly out. I'm sure Anik's said, but we need to go and save you all from an organisation hell-bent on killing all the spirits they can find. So if you could just let us all go, I can be home to see my family within a few days," she said, tapping the desk with one hand.

Ukluk paused. "You think I'm stupid? What kind of fool do you take me for?"

Jinora's lip curled slightly. "The kind due an education in important matters."

"That was rhetorical!"

* * *

The glare that the Avatar gave him seriously made him feel very uneasy about the entire situation. Even though the Avatar was clearly a criminal, detaining him had been a very dodgy procedure. Ukluk knew that the Avatar had enough power to free himself; hell, he'd toppled an entire mountain just to make a point.

"Avatar Jahn, I'm sure you understand the severity of the incident which you-"

"Humph."

"Avatar, please. This will go a lot easier if you co-operate in-"

"Humph."

Ukluk gritted his teeth. The kid simply wasn't having any of it; his arms were crossed and his expression was pouty. Maybe Ukluk was being too polite. This WAS his interrogation, after all.

He slammed a fist on the table, determined to startle the Avatar. The noise seemed to have no effect, other than make the Avatar slump back in his chair slightly.

"Spirits damn you, Avatar, this is serious! You're charged with the murder of Chief Desna and countless others. What say you in your defence?" Ukluk said in a heated tone.

The Avatar was silent for a moment, before leaning forward slowly. Ukluk braced himself, finally anticipating an answer.

Jahn stared at him for a few seconds, before wrinkling his nose and leaning back once more, remaining silent the entire time.

Goddam it.

* * *

"And then Jinora went swish, sending the guy flying! He crashed into the bar, but then the other dude from earlier leapt in and took a swipe! Luckily, I saw him coming so I used the water spilled on the bar to freeze his legs and when he-"

"Anik, I literally don't understand what relevance this has to my question. I-"

"-sent some fire my way, I simply rolled under it easily. Anik style! Ruined my coat though; I had to get a new one from that shop, you know, just down the road from home, but Jinora got distracted by something or other, I forget, and next thing we know, we were at Eska's place."

"I—wait, Eska!?"

"But of course, I had to get my revenge so when we were chilling out on the airship, Jinora wanted to know if I wanted a game of pai-sho, so of course I said yes and then-"

"Anik, stick to the question! Were you or were you not here to overthrow Desna!?"

"-then she literally won the first three games so of course that put me in my place but I wasn't about to go down so easily so I-"

Ukluk groaned, his palm pressed flat against his face.

* * *

"Chief Ukluk Pallaya, it's a pleasure to meet you."

"Huh? Oh, likewise Prince Kazon. I apologise for detaining you but we were given strict instructions to arrest you all should anything happen," Ukluk found himself saying, aware that his tone was far too polite.

The Fire Prince nodded and smiled easily. He was clearly far too relaxed for such an interrogation but Ukluk reasoned that this might make him more truthful.

"So, tell me, what happened at the mountain to cause such a disaster?"

Prince Kazon looked thoughtful for a moment. "Firstly, I'd like to say how it's a terrible tragedy, what happened to those people. I really hope they recover soon enough."

"I…that's noted. Please answer the question."

"Secondly, we weren't on the mountain but under it. Chief Desna hid a secret tunnel under his throne and when we-"

"Secret tunnel!?" Ukluk scoffed. "Well, at least you've all got your stories straight. That's fine; one of you will cough up the answers soon enough."

"I'm sure they'll be the absolute pinnacle of co-operation, Sir. Of course, I seek to assist you in any way I can."

Ukluk frowned. "Then how about confessing to the crime?"

Prince Kazon once again looked thoughtful. "Forgive me for saying so, Chief Pallaya, but I'm afraid you're quite wrong on this matter. You should be looking at the spirits for answers, or perhaps the terrorist organisation routed in your city."

"Look, Prince Kazon, I don't appreciate being lied to right to my face."

"I swear on my family's honour, I am not lying to you Chief."

That comment made Ukluk pause. Honour was important to the Fire Nation royals. Maybe this one was telling the truth. The story seemed too implausible though; he'd never even heard of these Spirit Eaters.

"We'll soon see. I've still got another few questions for you."

"Fire away."

Urgh, Fire Nation puns. Abominable.

* * *

"And then the spirit attacked so of course we had to run away but Tilia's leg was all messed up so we had to carry her and when we reached the forest, the trees were so dense that you could literally see the light of the spirit pulsing behind us and barely anything else…"

"That must have been creepy."

"You have no idea! We kept running, of course, until suddenly the spirit vanished and then we realised that it must have given up so we all sat down but Jinora decided to have a tantrum because she obviously misses her family and-"

"Hang on, no. Back to the questioning. Stop playing games, Anik!" he shouted at his son, aware that his blatant storytelling was distracting him as intended.

"But Dad, you missed the best part; when we finally all made up, the spirit came back and-"

"See, this is why your boyfriend dumped you."

Anik fell silent. He'd frozen, hand paused in mid-air, eyes wide. He gradually lowered it and stared at his hands, his eyes wet with tears. When he finally spoke, his voice had lost the energy from earlier and sounded like a dull croak. "That was unfair, Dad…" he whispered, voice trembling.

Ukluk refused to give into this display of emotion. True, maybe he had overstepped the line but so had Anik by his own actions at the Northern Water Tribe.

"What happened was none of your business, Chief," Anik said in a quiet voice. "There was no need to make things personal."

Ukluk spread his arms out in surprise, completely bewildered at his son's statement. "Personal!? You and your friends are the reason our home is in chaos! How personal could this get!?"

What happened next surprised Ukluk even more than his son's comment. Anik placed his palms flat on the desk and pushed himself to his feet slowly. The look on his face was half contempt and half rage; it made Ukluk's neck tingle with the ferocity of the stare. He'd seen Anik happy, heartbroken, jealous…all the emotions under the sun. Never had he seen anger like this.

"How many TIMES!? WE DIDN'T DO IT!" Anik yelled loudly, causing Ukluk to recoil slightly. "You're supposed to be my FATHER! What father reminds their son about how crap they feel!? Who would do that!? And who would instantly think their son GUILTY OF MASS MURDER!?" he screamed, panting heavily as he continued to glare at his father.

Ukluk was silent. Quite honestly, he didn't know how to react. He'd always been busy with his career so he'd never really learned how to connect with his son. The fact he had begun a relationship with another man hadn't bothered him…not because of the morality, but because he'd been too busy to give it much thought. He'd never realised the relationship had been that serious. No wonder Anik had taken off like he had done.

Chief Ukluk stretched out a hand slowly, unsure of his own intentions. "Son, I…I didn't realise that it was that precious to you. I'm-"

"You didn't realise!? Of course you didn't! Since when did you care about anything I cared about!?" Anik yelled back. He drew something from the inside of his coat pocket and slammed it down on the table. When his hand retreated, Ukluk leaned in to look at the object.

A hand-crafted Water Tribe betrothal necklace.

* * *

"So, are we going to bust out of here then?"

"I guess so. We'll need to try and reach Anik though; he's been a while this time."

"Chief Ukluk did say that he intended to question us all at least three times apiece. He's spoken to all of us at least once so I guess he chose Anik first again."

"Actually, Prince Kazon," came a small voice from behind them, "he hasn't spoken to me yet."

They turned, surprised to see Tilia sat smiling behind them. Her leg was resting on the ground at last and when she stood, she only wobbled slightly. Clearly, the Metalbender was resting all of her weight on her good leg but the sleep had done her some good. She shrugged and gestured towards the metal bars of their cell. "What kind of airport has cells like these, anyway?"

Jinora tapped her nails on the metal bars as she thought, but clearly impatience won over as she smacked a fist into them, creating a dull echo. "I don't really care. Tilia, can you just get rid of these?"

"Do you think that's a good idea? What if we just end up creating more trouble?" Kazon asked, a worried look on his face. His face was looking considerably better now they'd all been allowed to bathe; that, along with food and a decent night's sleep had made them all feel somewhat less battered.

The Airbender turned on him quickly, an angry look on her face. "Do you even care about your family, Kazon? Do you? Do you know what it's like to wake up and realise you might not see your daughter for days?"

The Prince, instead of looking down in shame, stepped forward quickly, his face contorted in anger. "YES, Jinora! Spirits take me, yes I do, so stop being so angry and miserable with everyone who's actually trying to help you get back to your daughter because at least YOU CAN SEE YOURS!" he yelled in her face, his voice booming through the holding area.

"What?"

Kazon looked over his shoulder, ready to snap at someone else but he immediately considered better as he spotted Jahn standing up. He'd been curled up in the corner, staring at the floor in thought, but this revelation had snapped him from his reverie.

"You have a daughter?" Jahn asked quietly. Jinora seemed as shocked as he was; her usual dignity had vanished, replaced by a look of utter astonishment.

Kazon nodded and sniffed. He wiped at his nose with his sleeve and walked over to where Tilia had been asleep on the provided cot. The Prince sat down delicately and refused to look at any of them.

"Erm…so, are we getting out of here now?" Tilia asked awkwardly.

Jahn nodded. "Jinora's right to be impatient. We need to get back to Republic City quickly; who knows what other spirits the Spirit Eaters will be targeting after Qí-Long. This could spark a war so we need to stop it. Fast."

Tilia smiled. "In that case, stand back!" she said. Reflexively, she jumped into a bending stance but immediately wobbled and tumbled to the floor as her weight was placed onto her bad leg. She swore quite loudly, startling them all, as she sat on the floor and looked over at Jahn.

"Can't you try help? It's really not that hard," she said between pulled faces.

Jahn shrugged. "I've never been one for refinement. I'll give it a go…" he said as he concentrated hard on the metal bars. He could sense the refined earth inside the metal but the idea of moving such minute pieces seemed impossible. He wrenched his hands apart but nothing happened.

"Crap."

Tilia sighed. "Maybe one day, Korra can help show you how it's done. Help me to my feet and I'll open it up," she said as Jahn wrapped his arm around her once more.

* * *

Ukluk was stunned. He looked up at his furious son, mouth agape. His control over the situation had vanished completely but any thoughts of the incident had been cast aside. His son had dropped a bombshell on him and Ukluk had never even known.

"You were engaged!?"

"Not that you ever cared enough to realise…"

"Anik, it wasn't that I didn't care. Chief of Police is a difficult job for anyone and-"

His son laughed sarcastically. "Difficult? Trying having a Dad who seriously couldn't even realise that his son was in love. You didn't even want to meet him and it wasn't because he was a guy, it was just because you couldn't be bothered."

The comment stung. Truly, Ukluk had always considered himself too busy to snoop into Anik's love life. He thought he'd been giving him space. When he voiced this thought, Anik threw his arms into the air in mock celebration.

"Oh, thank the spirits, you gave me SPACE. Well, clearly that worked out well! When I proposed…Yes, I proposed…when I did it, Nanuq turned round and said he wasn't ready. It wasn't because of who I am, Dad, but because of who he was. He didn't want to settle down yet, he wanted to travel the world. I said I'd go with him but no, I'd already gone too far. And when I was heartbroken and needed someone to talk to, WHERE WERE YOU!?" Anik yelled, tears rolling down his face.

Ukluk clutched his jacket tightly. Regret grasped him even more tightly, however, as he realised his own mistakes. Anik had never been perfect, but he'd been his son. Ukluk had provided everything physically but maybe he hadn't been there for Anik emotionally. Maybe that mattered.

"I'm so sorry, Anik," he said quietly. A tear of his own caught in his eyelash and eventually trickled down his cheek. They stood there, both raw from their emotions, before Ukluk took a few hesitant steps forward. "I'm really sorry. For everything. I know this wasn't your fault. None of it was," he found himself saying. The more he thought about it, the more he realised the truth of his words. Anik wasn't to blame. He was telling the truth. The Avatar was innocent. Ornatok had lied.

Anik looked sideways at his father through watery eyes. For a split second, he seemed to remain strong but his breakdown was too intense. He fell into his father's arms, crying with all his heart, as Ukluk stroked his bright silver hair gently, his own tears falling fast onto the concrete floor below.

* * *

The metal bars twisted and contorted out of shape, leaving a gaping hole in the middle. Kazon stepped through cautiously and looked up and down the corridor. "It looks clear," he said, still rather affected by his own outburst. He'd never intended for his secret to be known. Too late now.

Jinora followed, resolutely not speaking to the Fire Nation Royal. She waved a hand over her shoulder, indicating Jahn could pass Tilia through. She seemed to resist the assistance but as she was pushed through the gap, she grabbed one of the bars and it snapped clean off. As she awkwardly balanced on her good leg, she straightened out the bar with a flick of her hand and used it as a makeshift cane.

"Nice work," Jahn complimented her, earning another grin. "Shall we?"

"We should try locate Anik quickly, although if we manage to find a plane big enough for us all, we should focus on securing that," Jinora said quietly.

"I saw a huge plane round the side when they were taking us in. Tilia, do you have any experience in the skies?" Jahn asked.

The quiet girl grinned and nodded, her cane clattering along the floor as they set off. Jinora and Tilia took point, the latter making far too much noise with her metal walking stick. Jahn lagged behind, determined to talk to Kazon about his revelation. The Prince seemed less than talkative, however, so he grabbed his shoulder and pushed him gently towards the wall.

"Kazon, you can't pretend like we didn't hear that. What was that about your daughter?" he asked delicately.

Kazon stared at the floor and didn't say a word, leaning against the wall with a pouty expression on his face.

Jahn sighed. "Well, you've been a great help to us. After this is all done, I'm going to help you find your daughter, no matter what."

That made Prince Kazon look up. "Really?" he said in a cracked voice.

Jahn nodded and put a reassuring hand on his friend's shoulder. "Of course. First, we've gotta find Anik though. Can't do it without him and his annoying commentary!"

Kazon chuckled lightly. He clearly appreciated the lack of an explanation but it wasn't needed. Jahn would repay their assistance a thousand times over. They were all family now.

* * *

"Anik, how on earth has this happened?"

"Oh, Tilia's a Metalbender. They're all probably outside, stealing a plane or something. I'm a little hurt they didn't try and find me first," his son responded.

Ukluk spluttered, "They're stealing from the Earth Kingdom now!?"

"Hey, stealing isn't as bad as mass murder, Dad. Give them some credit," Anik said with a shrug. His eyes were still red but his nonchalant manner had returned after his father had promised him assistance. Their talk had cleared the air more effectively than a fresh polar storm. There was a lot of healing to do but maybe they were on the right lines, so long as Ukluk made as much effort as Anik.

"I'll help you get out but no more. I can't risk my job, Anik, you know that," Ukluk had said, but that was enough. His father's faith meant just as much as any actions.

They followed the corridor until they both emerged outside. The new morning sun was already high in the sky, a welcome relief to the storm which had broken last night. It was all fairly peaceful, until the roar of an engine burst the silence.

"Anik, this way, quickly!"

Jinora soared past on her Airbending suit, flying quickly towards a nearby hanger, from which an enormous bi-plane emerged slowly. A passenger plane, it was one of the few which were luxurious enough to contain inside seats and a cockpit more advanced than the simple exterior seat from the earlier models. It could contain at least twenty people inside and was made from the finest metals in the Earth Kingdom.

"Oh, there's my ride. If I need your help, Dad, I'll give you a call," Anik said, grabbing his coat and giving his father a quick hug.

"Anik, wait a second. What was that you said about Eska?"

Anik looked slightly guilty but grinned nevertheless. "When you return, you might find a familiar face in charge. Whatever you do, don't let Ornatok or his lying buddies near the Chief. She's gonna need your help Dad," he said with a grin and set off down the runway towards the plane.

"They've stolen a Royal Plane…" Ukluk said in despair as he watched the huge plane roar down the runway and take off into the bright blue sky. "King Wu's going to be so mad about this…"


	13. Ultimatum

((Hi all! Sorry for the delay; I'm incredibly busy and I'd rather take the time to write properly than just throw a 500 word snippet out! If I don't upload in a week, I do apologise but I'll aim for the week after! Thank you for your patience!))

* * *

Ultimatum:

The screech of the wheels on the tarmac echoed through the air, making everyone in the vicinity flinch. The impact of the great plane on the surface sent shockwaves through the ground. The lion-turtle felt the weight. It was worth investigating.

The ground gave way before its mighty claws, the soil rolling aside as if it were merely air. The lion-turtle emerged slowly from the dirt, squinting in the bright sunlight. The plane in question was enormous, almost as big as itself, with rich green paint and Earth Kingdom symbols plastered all over. Royalty in Republic City?

The surrounding humans were all shouting in shock at the sight of the magnificent creature. Clearly, the flying machines were common to them but the sight of a lion-turtle apparently was not. He had been lying in wait beneath the earth of Republic City, listening to news of the Avatar. News had not been swift; indeed, it was only now that any sign of strange activity was beginning to show.

"Erm, excuse me?"

The lion-turtle looked down slowly. A little female human was stood before him, clutching a form of stuffed toy animal, gazing up at him with amazed eyes. She did not even stand as tall as half of one claw now. His size was growing daily and with it, his knowledge and power. "What is it, little-one?" he asked in the quietest voice he could muster.

"Are you here to help move the planes?" she asked, a smile on her face. What innocence, to believe that a lion-turtle was used for mere labour. When he shook his head slowly, she shrugged.

"Oh. Do you want to watch them land with me? I'm sure daddy won't mind!" she said in a cheerful voice, clearly not concerned with the size of him or the danger he could pose. It was fortunate indeed that the spirit Zhansha had been so ignorant; if he had sided with the spirits, this human child would be in great peril.

"HONEY, GET AWAY FROM THAT!" a man's voice shouted loudly. As the lion-turtle looked around, a man quickly ran up, scooped the girl up in his arms and jogged off with her. The child waved goodbye over her father's shoulder at the lion-turtle, who simply watched them go.

The large flying machine had moved. It was now further along the runway, out of the way of any departing planes. A door opened on the side, spilling artificial light out to fuse with the sun's rays. Why the humans insisted on artificial light as opposed to the orb in the sky confused him. They always seemed to make things they did not really need.

He watched carefully as a number of individuals stepped from the plane. They walked slowly down the steps and gathered as a group to discuss something. One of the figures looked familiar. The lion-turtle only knew one human well enough to recognise at a distance. Anik was across the airport grounds.

The lion-turtle began a steady walk over to them. In truth, he was much faster underground and on the surface, his bulk was a hindrance. Still, the group noticed his approach and ran to meet him. This was fortunate; his news was important.

"Whiri!" Anik shouted as he gave the lion-turtle's front leg a hug. "You're so big now!"

"Anik. It is good to see you again," the lion-turtle responded. The humans all looked surprised at his advanced articulation. "My name is not Whiri. My name is Krageah."

"Oh," Anik replied, looking slightly unimpressed. "I thought it'd be something really epic. I'll stick with Whiri."

"Ancient One," the Avatar said, bowing. The lion-turtle nodded back. "What are you doing here?"

"News, Avatar. The spirits are angry. They demand retribution for their deaths."

The Avatar frowned. "We know. We found the group responsible. They said they're trying to keep the peace like I do but they're just making things worse. Ancient One, you have to believe us, we're trying to stop them as best we can."

The lion-turtle nodded once again. "I know this, but the spirits do not. They are led by one named Zhansha."

Anik groaned. "That name again. Never met the guy but I dislike him already."

"Ancient One, who is Zhansha? I've found no reference to this name in any texts I've ever read," the Airbending female asked. He liked this one; she showed him great respect.

"A spirit furious with your species. His existence is ironic. You know of the effects spirit possession has?" he asked the Airbender, who nodded. "Physical changes and possibly death," she replied. The lion-turtle was impressed with the group's collective knowledge. He had been fairly sure that humanity were still ignorant as his forefathers had believed.

"Yet the spirit retains the body. Zhansha inhabited a human, long ago, but has not relinquished it. He is a hybrid now, as much human as he is spirit. His fury is a result of his chosen vessel."

"Vessel!?" the older male asked in outrage. "We're not vessels! We're people! You can't go round stealing bodies!"

"I KNOW," the lion-turtle responded in his normal voice. It boomed through the area and the humans all jumped, clearly startled. "The spirits do not care. Zhansha is inciting rebellion amongst his kind. You must stop these humans but you must also stop these spirits, without angering either species."

The Avatar stared at him, mouth wide open. "How!?" he asked in an incredulous voice.

"True peace is earned through struggle and strife, yet always rests with those who deserve it," the lion-turtle said wisely, before turning away. "I will continue to observe your actions, Avatar. You are tasked with preventing any more harm to humans and spirits alike," it said over one shoulder. Within four gigantic sweeps of its titanic forearms, the lion-turtle had vanished in a small mountain of dirt and rock.

The group watched it go, surprised by the entire conversation.

"Aw, it's good to see Whiri again, ain't it?" Anik said with a big smile on his face.

* * *

The streets of Republic City were bustling and as busy as ever. The citizens had no idea of the possible impending war which could erupt at any moment. If the tension built anymore, the dam would break and the tide of war would flow over the unsuspecting citizens of Republic City.

This thought kept running through Jahn's mind as they walked through the city. He was quietly proud, in truth, that he'd been aware of the threat earlier than anyone else. The Red Lotus had caused so much carnage simply because he had been innocent and unaware. The Spirit Eaters no longer had the element of surprise. Even so, the damage they had already wrought had already disrupted the fragile peace created from the destruction of the Red Lotus. The spirits had clearly suffered losses; how long had this been going on? Yet again, another group creating chaos for a number of years before Jahn had even revealed his identity.

"Jahn, I'll meet you at the Temple!" Jinora shouted from behind him. The Avatar turned to see her detach the wings on her suit and leap into the air, disappearing from view as the people around all gazed up in awe. Experienced Airbenders were always a sight to behold, no matter the frequency of them in the city these days.

"She seems eager…" Kazon noted, watching as she soared off into the sky.

"She's just looking forward to seeing her family," Tilia pointed out, pushing Kazon lightly with a frown on her face.

"Aren't they at the Eastern Air Temple?" Anik asked, looking round quickly, clearly watching for something.

Jahn shook his head. "You think Jinora would come back here if her daughter is halfway across the world?"

Anik shrugged. "Yeah, maybe. If she wanted to help us, she might choose duty over family," he said in a tone which was so nonchalant that it made Jahn stop in his tracks. He hadn't considered that; Jahn was ready to do whatever to stop the chaos but the others all had responsibilities and family to consider. The fact they literally had his back made him feel rather emotional.

"Jahn? You cool?" Anik asked, looking concerned. "Ha, ice pun. Snow joke though. Eh, eh?" he winked at the others, waiting for a response.

Jahn was too deep in thought to even groan at Anik's terrible jokes. The group all seemed more cheerful now they were back in Republic City. For Jahn, it was a stark reminder of everything he regretted in his life.

"So we'll meet there yeah?"

"Hm?" he mumbled, finally paying attention.

Kazon's eyebrow was raised. "I said, Anik and I will detour around the next block to try and find out anything about the Spirit Eaters. If we can work out where they are, we can protect the air spirit without any fighting at all."

Jahn nodded. "Yeah, good idea. We'll see you in ten minutes then." The pair move off down a side street and Tilia nudged his arm slightly. "You ok?"

"I—I don't know. It's all escalated so fast, yet again. The Red Lotus came out of nowhere and now this; if we don't stop the Spirit Eaters, they'll destroy more spirits and they'll respond in kind. It's down to us to stop years of suffering. How do we cope with that pressure?" he asked, running a hand through his hair stressfully.

Her felt small fingers slip through his on his free hand and clench. Tilia's hand was tiny and warm and reassuring. She smiled up at him, cutting through his angst immediately. "We'll be fine," she said resolutely and Jahn knew he believed her. Her hand squeezed his once more and then the warmth vanished as she pulled away. "Come on, let's find this giant dragon spirit," she chuckled in an amused tone.

The Avatar grinned in spite of himself. There was no point worrying; what will happen will happen. Still, one thought refused to be banished from his mind so easily. He followed Tilia, brushing past random faces in the crowd, until he caught up with the Metalbender. "Hey, can I ask you something?"

"Sure!"

"You ever think that the Spirit Eaters might have a point? Not in killing spirits, but life would be a lot easier if there were other people around the world that could help prevent these kind of things…"

Tilia turned and frowned in confusion. "You mean like the Airbenders?"

Jahn rolled his eyes. "They're a big help, sure, but I mean someone with the same kind of power as me. To stop the very worst people."

"Power corrupts, Jahn. That's something Asami used to say. If you gave that power to people, no matter how pure their intentions, it'd always lead to more misery."

Her wisdom was incredible, given her age. When he compared the likes of Kuvu to Tilia, he could see vast differences. Maybe the environment they grew up in helped to forge two very different people. Either way, he was incredibly fond of both of them.

"I know. This group is clearly not the right group to assist with that, but maybe there IS a way to make a team or something…" Jahn pondered.

"Like Team Avatar?" Tilia winked at him. She seemed the happiest of them all to be back. Then again, this was her home more than anyone.

Before Jahn could respond, a number of individuals spread across the street quickly and blocked it. Civilians around all moved out of the way quickly as the uniformed figures all stood resolutely, blocking their path.

Jahn stepped forward, wary of attack. "What do you want?" he asked them, before noticing the insignia on their chests. Two of the officers parted and Chief Mako stepped towards them, looking both formal and yet slightly haggard. His uniform was ever so slightly dirtied and torn on one hem. He bowed slightly as he stood before them, seemingly pleased at their arrival.

"Chief Mako, nice to see you again. I'm glad you're here; we need help protecting a spirit—" Jahn began, before Mako waved him silent. It was a stark contrast from the polite bow and it had the desired effect.

"Sorry, Jahn, but there's more going on than you know. We can discuss your journey later; we already know of the incident at the Northern Water Tribe. Chief Eska is already stabilising the place; it seems as though everyone was too amazed at her sudden appearance to really panic any longer. She's probably just as creepy as ever…" the Chief murmured, trailing off. "Anyway, we've got a situation here. Over the last few days, we've experienced a number of attacks. We're currently dealing with the latest but we could do with your help. You have perfect timing."

Jahn sighed. "Mako, I'm sorry but we've got something really important. Can't the police handle this?"

Mako shrugged. "We're spread thin. The attacks are infrequent and seem to be focused on causing maximum property damage. It's starting to wear us down; if you can assist with this one, we can make sure other plots aren't...being…plotted," he finished awkwardly, looking rather uncomfortable with his poor articulation.

"Of course we'll help. What's the problem?" Tilia said at Jahn's side. He looked at the girl, who appeared deadly serious. Jahn was impressed with her new found confidence, yet apprehensive of the time delay this would pose. They couldn't save everyone.

The same old problem. The Spirit Eaters' mantra floated through his mind once again. It was tempting.

"There's an explosive device attached to the base of a building four blocks from-excuse me, do you mind?" Mako said rather heatedly to a passer-by, who was stood around eavesdropping. The woman stood and looked at Mako with no embarrassment whatsoever. When the Chief raised his arms hopelessly, the woman stepped sideways and slowly shuffled out of sight, watching them with wide eyes the entire time.

"This city is crazy…" Jahn chuckled.

"It is, but it's my home. I'm not going to sit and watch it blow up," Tilia said, pushing past them both.

Mako looked at Jahn with a curious expression. Jahn shrugged in response. "Don't look at me. She's the boss."

* * *

The building in question was an impressive office building, stretching many floors into the sky. It was one of the newer builds in the older section of the city; Republic City had expanded outwards after the battle with Kuvira all those years ago but progress did not stop. That included improvements to the existing parts of the city too.

A police cordon stretched around the entire structure, preventing anyone from coming close. Officers were keeping a curious crowd at bay but seemed reluctant to approach the main door to the building. From windows high above, people were craning out to look down on the events below.

Thus, the arrival of Avatar Jahn created quite a stir. Cameras began to flash and the crowd began to shout as Jahn and Tilia pushed through into the plaza. An officer approached, saluting as they neared. "Avatar, Sir! The device is inside the lobby. We're not sure who planted it but if it goes off, the building comes down."

"So why haven't you gone in and disarmed it? And where did Mako go?" Jahn asked, looking around.

The officer scratched her head. "Erm, the Chief will have had to oversee the other operations around the city. We..uh, we don't let him on the field. He's too valuable but he can be quite eager to jump into the action."

Tilia laughed lightly. Jahn could understand that, from what he'd been told about the Chief. He'd been one of Korra's most loyal friends for that exact reason. "And the reason you haven't stopped this is…?"

"You'll see when you go in, Avatar. It requires…well…you."

Jahn frowned. He looked sideways at Tilia, ready to warn her away, but she nodded and made for the building. Jahn knew better than to argue but he was worried. If the police couldn't handle this then maybe it was spiritual in nature?

The inside of the building was dark, despite the sunny weather outside. A light flickered towards the back of the lobby, illuminating the main desk in flashes of light. They did not need to look far for the device, however. It was strapped to the front of the desk, blinking red lights at them through the dark. These lights were almost invisible, however, behind the glow of something which covered it.

Jahn approached carefully, watching the device as he drew nearer. The cover was a strange, semi-translucent material which stretched all over the explosive, emitting a strange purple aura which practically screamed 'spirit business.'

"Ah. Yeah, no wonder they couldn't get this off," Jahn said, poking it delicately.

"The spirits put this here? Why?" Tilia asked, upset at the concept.

Jahn shook his head. "No, the explosive is human. Look at the wires underneath. The spirits might have tried to contain it but I guess they didn't consider the desk isn't as strong as their abilities…"

Tilia sighed. "So how do we do this? What if it goes off?"

Jahn didn't respond. Instead, he focused on steadying his breathing and felt Raava's power surge inside him. If he wasn't careful, the Avatar State would overwhelm him and that would cause even more carnage. When he placed his hand upon the cover, it rippled as though alive. It responded to his Avatar spirit, clearly recognising its own kind. It began to glow brighter until it was almost impossible to look at directly. In a split second, the cover had vanished into wisps of energy in the air.

"Now for the hard part," Jahn said with a quick grin. He was almost shaking; he'd done everything in his control to rein his Avatar powers in so even using them slightly made him scared beyond belief. With Tilia so close, he'd rather juggle the explosive device with Airbending than subject her to his wrath.

"Actually, you've done the hard part. I know what that meant to you," Tilia said gently, placing a hand on Jahn's shoulder reassuringly. He smiled, grateful for her support.

The device suddenly clicked and began to whir. They looked at it sharply as a high-pitched beeping echoed throughout the lobby. Someone had activated it.

"Oh crap! We need to get everyone out of here now!" Jahn yelled, pulling at Tilia's arm as he jumped away from the desk. When she didn't move, he stood incredulously as she simply smiled. "Tilia, what?"

"Like I said, hard part done. I've got this," she said confidently. She cracked her knuckles and rolled her shoulders. She began to move her right hand in the air, making sharp pointing signs at varying angles. Her hand barely moved from the spot she held it at, aside from turning rapidly. After a few horribly tense seconds, she made a clicking noise with her tongue. "Aaaand, unlocked," she said smugly.

When she closed her palm and opened it rapidly, the device burst from the desk and hung in the air for literally half a second. Jahn watched in amazement as the explosive seemed to explode…but into tiny metal pieces, not fire. Every possible component of the device unscrewed, unlatched and unhinged from each other until every single piece floated in the air before them, a perfect layout for a homemade explosive device.

"You really ARE good with technology…" Jahn said in wonder.

Tilia shrugged. "Yeah, Asami showed me a lot. Anything can be undone and put back together. That bit there," she said, pointing at a small tube of liquid, "is the bit that makes it go boom. You might want to take it to give to the police."

Jahn did exactly that, handling it gently. Once he did, the rest of the device clattered to the floor, echoing loudly around them. Grinning, they made for the building's door and emerged into the sunlight.

The crowd went wild.

Jahn and Tilia ignored them, however, and walked directly to the nearby police officers. Jahn handed the liquid vial over to the female officer from earlier, who stared at it as though it were a mooselion cub about to bite her as she carried it away.

"Excuse me!" Jahn shouted another officer over, who strode over quickly. "Please tell Chief Mako that I require his presence on Air Temple Island as soon as possible," he said in a formal manner, hoping to impress enough that the message would be passed on.

Before the officer could respond, however, a high pitched screech tore through the air around them, making them all flinch. Silence descended on the busy plaza as all the radios in the vicinity burst into life. Static was the only sound for an entire minute. Jahn felt extremely uneasy. Were the attackers angry at their success?

"Humans…"

The voice was alien, strange to the ear. A spirit's voice, mangled by anger and hate.

"Humans. You continue to kill our kind, to attack places precious to us. This incident is one of many, stretching back years and years. If you continue to do this, then the spirits will respond with violence. You are animals and your acts prove your true nature. I give you this ultimatum, to warn you all that the spirits will not take these acts of aggression lightly, and if any human dares enter the Spirit World, they shall be shown no mercy. Give up those humans who kill us for power. If you don't, then the spirits will declare war on your pitiful world."

The radios all crackled and returned to static. Jahn and Tilia glanced at each other in shock. "They've crossed the line," he said angrily. "We need to stop this from escalating any further. We need to get to Qi-lóng and finish this."


	14. Finding Purpose

Finding Purpose:

She had always been driven by purpose. Driven by her duty to her company, to her friends and now, to her city. Future Industries had not been easy to run but the sheer scale of micromanaging everything in Republic City was stupendous. Her government were effective, sure, but it was down to Asami to organise the day-to-day goings on in the capital.

Her involvement with Future Industries was starting to wind down little by little. Asami was far too busy to run it alone and the only other person she trusted enough to take over was far too young. Tilia was a very close friend and knew the business well, but a handful of years' service was not sufficient to become CEO. Regardless, she knew Tilia preferred the physical side of the business; she enjoyed tinkering with new technology. Her mind was sharp and inquisitive and the shy girl reminded Asami of herself. Confidence was her only flaw; Asami had seen a big change in Tilia ever since the Red Lotus incident and she had hoped that sending the Metalbender with the Avatar would help to evolve this growing confidence.

News of the Avatar had flown quickly. The Northern Water Tribe disaster had been horrible; Asami's well-wishes did not seem sufficient in the wake of the suffering, yet it was an internal Water Tribe issue. The United Republic did not involve itself with the general well-being of the world anymore. It had only brought huge damage to Republic City in Korra's time, due to the actions of a particular President. Raiko had meant well, yet he had overreached his ambition.

Asami sipped the glass of water and stared hard at the document in her other hand. Permits for a new air transport route. It would never work; the traffic in Republic City would not lessen even with the new hummingbird suits in operation. Her thoughts flickered back to their creation; Korra, Varrick and Kuvira. Sometimes, she missed the action but her place was here.

If the action brought results like in the Northern Water Tribe, maybe it was for the best. She knew that the Avatar would not have caused this, but stranger things had happened. Even in her own city, unrest was brewing. People were becoming increasingly irritated at the resident spirits and the spirits themselves were starting to vanish, as if expecting a storm and fleeing behind the rain broke.

"Miss Sato?"

The small speaker on her desk was talking to her. Asami placed the document down on the desk and pressed a button on the speaker. "Yes?"

"There's someone here to see you. The Chief of Police."

Asami frowned. Mako preferred to contact her by phone; he had not been to see her for many years. What had prompted this? "Let him in."

The doors to her office opened and Mako strode in, looking slightly dishevelled. His uniform had clearly not been changed for more than a day and his hair was ever so slightly off. Knowing Mako like she did, Asami was concerned. Something was happening and she needed to know what.

"President Sato," Mako said formally.

Asami rolled her eyes. "Mako, please. Let's drop the formalities. How've you been? How's your partner?"

Mako seemed to relax slightly but kept his hands clasped behind his back. "I…uh, very well thank you. And she's fine, just a little annoyed at the hours I work."

"Well, that's expected. You work nearly as long as I do," she replied.

Mako's eyebrow shot up but he didn't say anything. He could give Asami some grief but not the President. Not whilst on duty.

"Almost," he said at last. "Anyway, I'm not here to catch up. As I'm sure you're aware, we've experienced recent attacks in the city."

Asami nodded. They had been playing on her mind lately; small explosions, personal attacks and general chaos. It appeared as though somebody was trying to get their attention. The attacks were far too weak to be on the same scale of the Red Lotus uprising but definitely enough to warrant Asami's concern.

"We've recently met with the Avatar and his friends; they've explained the situation to us and we believe it to be the result of the group they are hunting," Mako continued. "The Spirit Eaters. Apparently they're in the city to destroy that giant dragon spirit on Air Temple Island."

Asami frowned. She knew of the spirit in question; everyone around did, given the size of the spirit and the importance. Why it had stayed in one place for so long perplexed the entire city but nobody had found the guts to ask it. "And the reason they're planting bombs in our city?"

It was Mako's turn to frown. "You know about that? It's only just occurred."

Asami turned and pressed a button on a remote she had grabbed from the table. A nearby radio spluttered to life loudly and when the static faded, a voice could be heard clearly saying, "…the incident was quelled by the swift intervention of the Avatar and his girlfriend, who prevented the device from exploding and saving everyone in the building! Heroes, both of them! Why, it's good to have the Avatar back…"

Asami pressed the button again and the radio died. She turned back to Mako with a rueful smile on her face. "Sorry, Chief, but this one's all over the news. So, a bomb planted at the base of one of our biggest building. They've upped their efforts a bit."

Mako nodded. "It would appear that way. Although there's been a development. The core of the device has been analysed and it isn't explosive. The entire thing was a high-quality hoax."

The President was concerned with this news. "A hoax? So why go to all the trouble?"

"To divert our attention. They know we know they're here, so they must be trying to spread our forces thin with all the scares. We don't know if the next one will be fake or real but we can't take the chance," the Chief responded.

Asami scratched her head lightly. She knew the Police were already spread thin, hence why they called the Avatar in to help. As President, however, she couldn't risk one spirit for the safety of all her citizens. "Help the Avatar where you can, Mako, but don't risk anyone else. If you hear of a bomb threat or anything similar, you stop it until this group are stopped."

Mako seemed to be thinking the same. "Well, the Avatar has actually promised to help us find them. The spirit at the Air Temple is protected by practically the entire Air Nation, so Jahn has promised to start hunting this group down. In fact, he's already investigating a warehouse on our behalf with a couple of his allies."

This was very good news. Still, the situation needed careful observation. "Right. Well, keep me updated Mako. You're doing a fantastic job and I appreciate your support."

The Chief of Police bowed formally. "President Sato," he said by way of goodbye as he made for the door.

"Oh and Mako?" Asami called after him. "Would it kill you to come and say hi now and again?"

The slight smile on Mako's face was all the answer she needed.

* * *

"Grandfather? Can I go talk to the big dragon spirit again?"

"No Aana. We need to wait here for your mother. We've had reports saying she's in the city."

"She's here? Yay!" the little girl cried out happily. "Can I see her instead?"

Tenzin smiled gently. Looking after Aana reminded him so much of when Jinora was born. She was quieter, for sure, but was just as sweet. Now, his little girl was all grown up and he couldn't be more proud of everything she'd built for herself. It didn't stop the pain in his gut when she was away, however. He'd always miss his children.

The fact Jinora had returned safe and sound made him rest easier. Like the rest of the city, news of the Northern Water Tribe had unsettled him greatly. The palace had been a beautiful building and the thought of its destruction only proved Tenzin's respect of nature's power true. As an Airbender, he valued all life but his mind had been focused completely on Jinora's wellbeing. Jahn hadn't even flickered through his thoughts and now he seriously regretted it. At one time, Tenzin would have placed duty before everything. Age had turned him into a new man; since Korra's death, Tenzin had taken a backseat in the action. His time was over now but he could still help.

News of the danger had been sent in the form of his daughter. Tenzin and Aana were outside the temple in the courtyard, lying around in the flowers. Aana was practising her Air Scooter technique whilst Tenzin gave some pointers.

"Aana, look there!" he said quickly, pointing up in the sky as he spotted something small soaring towards them. Aana fell from her Air Scooter but rolled as she landed, looking up with big wide eyes. A smile lit up her face as she recognised the figure.

Within seconds, Jinora landed in the plaza and tucked the wings of her suit away whilst she jogged towards them. Aana ran towards her mother quickly, giggling the entire way. When she reached Jinora, the older Airbender scooped the child up in her arms and hugged her tightly. "Oh Aana…" she whispered over and over, stroking her daughter's hair repeatedly. When Tenzin approached, Jinora looked over Aana's shoulder and smiled through her joyous tears at her father. "Hey Dad," she said quietly.

"Hello Jinora," Tenzin responded, just as happy as she was.

They retreated to inside the Temple, where Jinora led them into one of the smaller lounge areas. The family all sat around as Tenzin poured them some tea, inquiring as to everything which had happened. Jinora tried to keep the story brief but found it too long not to cover everything. As she spoke, she clutched Aana close with one spare arm, as though frightened something would take her away.

In truth, this had been a frequent fear ever since Vehrin. She had nearly lost her daughter because she hadn't been attentive enough. Never again. She'd stuck with Jahn as long as she dared but her place was with her family.

"So we need to protect Qi-lóng. Do these Spirit Eaters really pose that much of a threat?" Tenzin said as he stood up. The tale had been long but at last they had come to the crux of the matter.

"They do. We don't think there are many of them but if they manage to use their technique on the elemental spirits…" Jinora said, her face worried.

Tenzin nodded. "In that case, I'll send word to Mako. As the Chief of Police, I'm sure he'll take this seriously and whilst I'm at it, I'll tell every Airbender to watch out for the group or these spirits."

"Good idea. I'll organise some form of defence; we need to try and lock this island down," Jinora said resolutely. "They're not getting on this island."

Her father spun his robe dramatically as he made for the door. Jinora stretched her hand out as she called after him. "Dad! There's something else," she said vaguely, to which Tenzin seemed concerned. "Some spirits are out to wage war. If any spirits die, it might all break out but we can't be sure which have malicious intent. Just be careful around them."

Tenzin frowned. "I understand your concern, Jinora, but if we distrust the spirits, things will only get worse. I'll watch out for them though. I'll be back in a short while, sweetheart," he said with a quick smile before he disappeared from the room.

Jinora stayed a short while with her daughter, talking about nothing of grave importance, before she sighed. As Aana pointed out one of the flying lemurs had snuck into the room and was trying to chew one of the rugs, Jinora touched her arm gently and stood. "Aana, sweetie, we need to go and talk with some of the other Airbenders and then, I'll need you to be brave because we have to talk to the big scary dragon spirit on the roof…"

To her surprise, Aana grinned. "Qi-lóng? About tiiiime," she said, dragging it out as though she'd been waiting years. "Grandfather wouldn't let me go but he's one of my best friends now!"

'Of course,' thought Jinora wryly.

* * *

"The warehouse, then. It belongs to Cabbage Corp but as we know, they've been used as decoys before," Mako said pointedly, before clocking on to the slightly gormless faces in front of him. "Oh, right. Erm, when the Equalists were causing trouble, just when Avatar Korra arrived…"

"Erm, Chief Mako? Maybe now isn't the time?" Kazon pointed out politely.

"Oh, erm, yes, of course," Mako said awkwardly, snapping back to reality. "Anyway, we'll need two of you to investigate the warehouse as we have officers dealing with…well, actual criminals."

"Hey, they're real!" Anik shouted up. Both Kazon and Anik had found their way to the Central Police Operations Base fairly easily, having been directed by numerous officers around the district. The Base was a disused warehouse, full of officers and technology. Clearly, they were taking a more hands-on approach to the current threats, as opposed to operating from the main Headquarters alone.

The Chief closed his eyes for a second. "I know that!" he retorted fairly hotly. "This could be a total misfire, though, so we just need you to check the place out quickly and then report back as soon as possible."

"Well Kazon and I can do that," Anik said with a shrug, "but what are the police pensions like? We ARE getting paid?" he said jokingly. When Mako looked perplexed, Anik waved at him lazily. "Nah, only kidding. We've got this one, right?" he said to the Fire Prince, who nodded.

"Of course. Fire and water make a pretty good mix. I've been training myself to be more patient lately, so spending time with Anik is a good way to do so," Kazon said with a slight grin. Jahn and Tilia both laughed loudly and even Anik looked amused.

"In that case, Jahn and Tilia, I'll need you to investigate a nearby factory. We can spare an officer with you as a bodyguard; you're too important to lose, but we believe this to hold some valuable intelligence as to your secretive group. If they're there, I'm sure you'll want to be there too," Mako said, pleased at Jahn's nod. The Avatar stayed quiet but didn't seem displeased at the notion.

"Avatar Jahn, sir, nice to see you again," one of the officers stood at the wall said as he saluted. Jahn gave him a quick glance, intending to say hi to be polite, but the face caught his eye. His face showed genuine surprise. "Saall?" he asked in shock.

The officer continued to salute. Mako looked at the man and back at Jahn. "You know each other?"

Jahn could barely think straight. "Er…yeah. Yeah. He's from Taku. I…you're living in Republic City now?" he said to Mako, before turning to Saall.

Saall nodded as he lowered his arm. "Yes, Avatar. We moved here not long after you visited. You made me realise that if I was to provide a decent life for Kuvu, I'd have to move out. The police here are renowned around the world so…" he said, leaving the statement hanging.

"He's one of our best recruits," Mako chipped up, but nobody was really paying him any attention.

"So you're here with Kuvu. Right," Jahn stated, staring at the floor. Thoughts flooded his brain but he dismissed them. Saall was not here to cause trouble. He'd moved to start a new life. To find some purpose and provide for the woman he clearly loved.

"Great, another Earthbender…" Anik said dryly, rolling his eyes.

"Actually Sir, I'm a Metalbender," Officer Saall responded.

Jahn was even more surprised. "Since when!?" he exclaimed in a high-pitched voice. He coughed, embarrassed, and cleared his throat deeply. He'd never been able to attain the ability due to his rather excessive form of earthbending, but Saall had always been a clumsy brute. The fact he'd managed to work it out ate away at Jahn's thoughts.

"Two of us? That's good!" Tilia said genuinely.

"Yeah, magnificent…" Jahn muttered under his breath.


	15. Breaking the Chains

((Hey all! This was one of my favourite chapters from this Book so I hope you enjoy! Only a couple more to go, ooooh!))

* * *

Breaking the Chains:

The walk to the factory was uncomfortable. Jahn could not shake the feeling that Saall had requested to be on this mission with him, but whether to rub in his victory over Jahn or simply to genuinely assist him was not clear.

Saall led the way, gesturing civilians aside gently, his hand never straying far from his belt. Jahn could barely see what Saall was so affectionate over, as it was contained in a small metal pouch. If it was linked to Kuvu, then the Avatar didn't want to know. That scar was still too raw. Having to put up with his childhood rival was bad enough. It had tapped into a spring of emotions that now flowed forth and flooded his brain. Focusing on the mission was the only thing keeping him steady.

Tilia was also silent. This didn't surprise him; the girl was remarkably shy. The more he thought about it, however, the less he could remember her being so quiet. Tilia had apparently been shy and quiet and delicate but the girl he knew was certainly coming out of her shell.

"So, erm, how was the Northern Water Tribe? Is it as beautiful as people say?" Saall asked over his shoulder, attempting a conversation.

"Cold. People died. Won't be going back," Jahn said bluntly.

"Oh…" Saall responded awkwardly.

"The rest of the city was stunning, though," the Avatar conceded. There was no reason to be rude, he reasoned. Even if he wanted to punch Saall in his smug little face.

Silence settled over the trio once more. They began to pass into the industry district, where all the factories lay and where new technology was created. It all lay on the outskirts of the city, far from the housing and the skyscrapers of the centre. People became less and less frequent, which could only prove to be a good thing. If the Spirit Eaters were all camped out here and a fight broke out, Jahn would happily avoid any more collateral damage.

"Is it true what the radios are saying, then?" Saall asked rather bluntly.

Neither of them responded.

"You know…you two…" the officer continued, leaving the statement hanging.

Jahn's eyes widened. Apparently the city thought he and Tilia were an item. What would Saall and Kuvu think?

"So, Saall, how are you finding Metalbending?" Tilia asked, curious. Jahn shot her a look but Tilia merely shrugged it off. Nice save.

"Oh...um, it's…different. I already prided myself on brute strength back at training, so I never expected to Metalbend," the officer responded.

Tilia nodded. "I know…oops," she began, before stumbling over her own feet. Steadying herself, she chuckled and carried on saying, "I understand that; I've never been able to Earthbend huge amounts but I can focus on the tiny refined pieces in metal. That's more my speed," she concluded, not ashamed at her limitation.

Jahn stayed quiet. Sure, he could Earthbend titanic rocks and make the ground shake, but Saall could always do that and now he'd shown a new side of him. Maybe this was linked to the incident with Kuvu, back when this all started…

"I'm still learning, really. It's difficult to do but I've got the basics down. This armour, the metal whips and everything," Saall continued.

"You'll get there eventually, I'm sure," Tilia smiled softly. Despite Jahn's feelings, Tilia found herself warming to this officer. He seemed quite humble, contrary to Jahn's descriptions. To emphasise her point, she took two small metal balls from a pocket and span them round above her palm quickly.

Jahn glanced sideways at the movement, wondering what was creating the small whirring sound. As he spotted the metal balls spinning, however, an image flooded his mind: a child spinning some beads round with Airbending. The image flashed up and was gone as fast as it appeared, leaving him slightly dazed.

"Jahn?" Tilia asked, her hand on his arm reassuringly.

"I'm fine. Where's the factory we're after?" he asked, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Saall pointed. "Through that fence. You can see it from here but it's quite a dash to the actual factory gate itself," he pointed out. The fence was a simple chain fence but the grassy lands around the warehouse provided no cover.

"Ah…" Jahn sighed. Within a minute, they'd reached the fence and were peering through, trying to spot any activity. The factory was gigantic; it seemed like a huge hangar for biplanes than an actual place of industry. Maybe it was where the biplanes were built. The huge perimeter suggested something sizeable.

"Should we make a run for it?" Saall asked, clutching the chain fence tightly.

"I've got an idea for some cover…" Tilia suggested.

Within minutes, they were ready. "Go!" Jahn shouted, leaping forward. Tilia and Saall ran with their arms over their heads, using layers of the chain fence as a makeshift shield. It wouldn't stop everything but it'd certainly prevent a few fireballs. Jahn was covered under the partial-dome but was easily the most vulnerable. If anyone attacked, his Airbending might help divert any incoming missiles.

They reached the side of the factory and the chain fence hit the floor. They all pressed up against the wall, panting heavily. "Anyone…think that was too easy…?" Saall asked between gasps.

Jahn nodded. "Way too easy. Either we moved quicker than I thought or they're not here."

"It could be a trap?" Tilia suggested, almost bent double, trying to breathe deep. "Ah, I hate running…" she complained with a pained expression. It made Jahn chuckle despite himself.

Saall pressed his hands flat on the factory wall and closed his eyes. After a few seconds, his hands seemed to melt into the wall as though it were liquid. He pulled the wall apart, ignoring the screeching metal, until a jagged hole the size of a person finally tore into existence. All three of them clambered inside and immediately ducked behind a nearby machine as a flashlight shone down from a walkway above.

"Someone's home…" Jahn murmured.

Voices could be heard from somewhere above. An office oversaw the factory floor, high above. Lights flickered inside as people passed in front of a lamp. Clearly more than one person was present. A promising start.

Jahn ushered the other two forward, hoping to keep to the wall until they reached the stairs. If they could get to the walkway, they could immobilise the guard and gain some valuable intel. The trio silently made their way round various machines and mechasuits parked by the wall, dodging various beams of light from the bored guard above. As they clambered the stairs, Jahn crouched as low as he could as they reached the very corner of the factory. The guard was walking away from them on the narrow metal walkway, scratching his back with the flashlight.

"Classy…" Tilia whispered.

"I'll go round. You take him out and don't mess it up," Saall ordered, moving off along the adjacent wall. Jahn immediately turned his head in irritation; Saall's old arrogance had surfaced in his latest comment. It took a lot of self-control to not snap back at his old rival. Instead, they crept forward towards the guard, hoping he wouldn't turn and spot them.

Just as they were within striking distance, a shout sounded out on the other side of the factory. The guard turned quickly, pointing his light into the gloom and squinting. Before he could keep turning and spot them, Jahn launched himself to his feet and span round, pulling a leg in as he did so. The air beyond the guard all twisted and rushed back towards them quickly, knocking the guard down with a heavy 'oof!'

Tilia span her hands round each other swiftly and the metal railing twisted quickly, wrapping round his limbs and mouth, trapping him against the walkway. Whoever had shouted had gone quiet, but the sound had already alerted everyone in the resting factory. Jahn and Tilia both crouched, anxious to see whether the people in the office would emerge, but nobody did.

"Psst. Here!" Saall whispered through the dark, waving a hand low. Jahn frowned but they crept over slowly. He'd nearly ruined the entire break-in. "You idiot. What was that shouting?" he hissed at his old rival.

Saall wiped a weary hand over his face. "This," he said, handing an object over. A small firearm, easily concealed. Something inside it seemed to flicker with eerie blue light. Tilia clearly recognised the device as she grabbed it from Jahn, staring at it intently. "Where did you get this?" she asked quite snappily.

"From your company, alright? You provided the force with prototypes, to try out on criminals. Asami thought it was the best way to test them," Saall said in a hushed tone. "Bending is dying out. We needed some way to arm even the civilians with a non-lethal method of self-defence."

"So you thought it best to give everyone firearms? How will that solve anything!?" Tilia said in quiet outrage. "You'll just make it easier to hurt people!"

"Shush! Focus on why we're here. Work this out later," Jahn said, pushing the firearm back at Saall.

Suddenly, the factory lights flared into life. Row by row, the lights hanging from the ceiling turned on, one by one. The trio all shielded their eyes from the sudden light, squinting around in slight pain.

"Ah, we have company. Welcome, Avatar," came a voice above them. Stood on the final flight of thin metal steps before them, high towards the top by the open door to the office, stood a figure in Water Tribe garb.

* * *

"Dad! They're here!"

"Quickly, get to the top of the tower! If Qi-lóng won't flee, then we need to protect it!" Tenzin shouted back. Jinora nodded, taking off down the hallway. The island had been sealed, yet the Spirit Eaters had managed to acquire an airship. It had approached low, skimming over the surface of the waters, before rising and simply flying over.

The Spirit Eaters had parachuted from the airship as it passed, deploying all over the island. They were not great in number; in fact, there seemed only to be a handful of them, maybe ten at most. The Airbenders on the island numbered close to forty. It should be an easy fight.

Jinora grabbed her glider and jumped from a window. The glider's wings snapped open and she soared upwards, ignoring the first signs of fighting below. Within seconds, she had reached the very top of the temple where Qi-lóng was resting. He raised his head as Jinora landed, bowing slightly as she did so. The Airbender returned the greeting.

"Honourable Qi-lóng, you must go from this place. If these attackers reach you, they will destroy you and use your power for misdeeds!" she cried out, trying to sound formal enough to gain the spirit's respect. To her surprise, Qi-lóng coiled his great head round and snorted. "I shall not," was his response.

When there was silence, Jinora raised her hands in confusion. "Why!?"

"If they succeed in driving me away, driving me from this world, then they will accomplish their goals. They do not want spirits in this world, by life or death. Air is the element of freedom, little one, and I shall not relinquish my freedom for the needs of the selfish," the great Air-spirit said wisely.

Jinora sighed. She understood exactly where the dragon spirit was coming from, but it didn't make her job easier. As long as the Airbenders below stopped them from reaching-

A figure shot past them and hovered in the air as they span a glider-staff round. They landed softly on the ceiling and immediately sent an air slice at Jinora. She back-flipped away in surprise, not recognising the figure. Words would come later, however. It was time for action, no matter who it might be. Jinora sent a gust of wind back at her attacker, knowing they'd dodge. When the woman did, Jinora cartwheeled along the roof and a concentrated circle of air formed around her. As she span to her feet, she twisted her arms around intricately and the air-disc flew towards the other woman. She jumped in the air, dodging it successfully, but the disc just caught her foot. She flipped to the floor but Jinora made her move. Darting across the roof, she grabbed the woman before she touched the roof and held her over the edge. "Who are you!?" she demanded to know.

The woman winked. The scar along her cheek gave her an unseemly complexion but her face was totally unknown. Jinora knew practically all the Air Nation. When she said this aloud, the woman laughed. "Not all Airbenders share your values, missy. Some of us think the spirits need liberation," she said nonchalantly.

"Liberation? What? Your goals make no sense!" Jinora shouted in her face.

"Well, I want them gone. Just because some of the bosses think they're great doesn't mean we all do. Anyway, who the hell are you to touch me? Get off me!" she said, suddenly turning aggressive. She pushed Jinora away but seemed to stumble backwards. The woman hung in the air for a split second before vanishing over the edge.

"Wait, no!" Jinora yelled, diving to the edge quickly. She peered over the edge but her eyes widened as she watched the woman drift down lazily towards the base of the temple, apparently riding the air current like a leaf.

Qi-lóng had watched the entire fight carefully. He shifted, stretching his neck, before lying back down. "They fight for their world, yet know not what they will do once they win. We will be martyrs, our kind. The Great Elemental Spirits will vanish and the spirits will wage war."

"How can you say that? You want war between our worlds?" Jinora asked in a panic.

Qi-lóng opened one huge eye. "Of course not. Zhansha and his followers wish war. Your…Spirit Eaters…they wish war. Unless the Avatar fixes this situation, war will come to those to who wish it or not."

Jinora was stressed. She rubbed her temples, feeling uncomfortable in the Airbender robes. She'd swapped her tattered wingsuit for more traditional Airbender garb but regretted it now. It didn't really keep her warm either. "But if we protect you, then we can buy everyone some time to work things out."

Qi-lóng growled softly. His giant wings rustled slightly as the breeze picked up. "You think this their entire force? There are three other spirits worth assaulting around the world. Even if I survive, Zhansha's followers will be relentless in their revenge."

A chill crept down Jinora's neck and it wasn't because of the breeze. The thought hadn't occurred to her. She, the leader of the most spiritual in all the world. She, who knew more about spirits than anyone. In all her frantic attempts to reach her family, she'd forgotten everything. "I need to tell Jahn…" she whispered but looked up at the spirit. "But if they have Airbenders, I can't leave…"

Should she find the Avatar and possibly sacrifice Qi-lóng, or stay and hope that no other spirits were killed because of her inaction?

* * *

"Ornatok."

The Waterbender looked furious. His face was contorted with anger, yet his attempts to stay calm seemed to be working. His clothes were freshly cleaned and laundered, surprising for someone hiding out in a factory.

"Welcome to our factory. It's not really ours, but seeing as you take things which don't belong to you, why not I?" he asked, his arms spread out wide.

"Wait, stop! You're under arrest!" Saall said, holding out the firearm in front of him. Ornatok turned his gaze onto him, frowning slightly as though mildly irritated. The Waterbender didn't reply. Instead, he waved one hand forward and suddenly, the firearm flew from Saall's hands and clattered down to the factory floor below. The officer jumped back in surprise, his fists raised.

"A Metalbender!?" he shouted.

Ornatok shook his head. "Shut up. You think I'd be here alone? Don't be so idiotic."

Jahn had used these precious few seconds to glance around. Clearly he had support back in the office but the rest of the factory seemed abandoned. All the machinery, however, had begun to whir and turn. Conveyor belts rumbled around and around, but the only thing Jahn was concerned with was the unhinged man before him.

"What did we take from you? We haven't stolen anything," Jahn said in bewilderment. He could sense the rising tension, aware that it would all come to blows soon. As long as he could keep them talking…

Ornatok spat on the walkway in disgust. "You stole my life!" he shouted angrily. "My wife and son! They left me because of the ideas you put in their heads! After everything I did, after everything I told them to do, they BANISHED ME and did it anyway!" he screamed at them, clearly delusional with fury.

Jahn slowly put his hands up in the air in a display of peace. "We didn't tell Eska to do anything, Ornatok. She didn't want you to join these-"

"Don't presume to know what my wife wants for me!" the Spirit Eater retorted quickly. "Once she left, my purpose was clear. If it wasn't for you, if it wasn't for the spirits, she wouldn't have left. Damn the money; you made this personal."

"I never did anything! Ornatok, I was unconscious the entire time!"

The statement made the Water Tribe man pause. He considered this for a moment, before raising a begrudging eyebrow. "That's very true. Although your little girlfriend here did. Had a nice little chat with Eska, did you? Are you the reason she left?" he said in a sickeningly sweet tone, peering round Jahn at Tilia.

When the girl refused to answer, Ornatok's face screwed up in anger once more. "ANSWER ME!" he yelled loudly.

Jahn moved slightly, so as to block Tilia from his wrath. "Don't you dare talk to her like that!" he shouted back, before inhaling deeply. Struggling to control his temper, he kept his hands in mid-air. "Look, don't do this. If you attack the spirits, they'll wage war and everyone will be hurt."

Ornatok flexed his arms, staring at the ceiling as he said, "Our goal is clear. We want them gone. We want you gone."

Jahn gritted his teeth. "If you try this, I will end you," he declared, before a sudden wave of dizziness overcame him. He crashed to one knee as another vision flashed before his eyes: a bearded Fire Nation man with glowing eyes, destroying a palace with a single gesture.

When he shook the vision away, Ornatok had taken a few steps nearer. "See? Even you bow before us!" he gloated.

Tilia grabbed Jahn's arm and helped him to his feet. The Avatar felt dizzy, confused. What were these visions?

"We don't bow to anyone," Tilia said defiantly. "You won't get out of here. The spirits will be safe."

Ornatok laughed lowly. "You think this is our entire organisation? We have agents all over the world, hunting the other Elementals. The Air spirit is our first target. The rest of us should be at the Temple already," he said smugly.

"No!" Jahn gasped, stepping forward quickly. As soon as he did so, however, the metal walkway snapped clean in two just ahead of them. It swung slightly but began to fall to the factory floor as one of the Metalbenders from the office severed the other end.

The trio all fell fast, plummeting towards the floor. Jahn barely had time to recognise the danger, however, as another vision consumed his mind. A short, stout man, falling from a cliff as a bright-eyed Avatar looked on.

By the time he'd blinked the images from his eyes, Jahn realised he was lying down. Sitting up quickly, he glanced around but could barely see.

"Jahn? Are you alright?"

"Tilia? Where are we? What-?"

"We fell so I tried to make a slide from the walkway so we'd be safe. Saall bounced off but I think he's safe. We…we were intercepted by one of the Metalbenders. We fell into this machine…" she whispered in a scared voice.

Jahn tried to stand but found little space. There was some kind of roof over their heads, trembling slightly as though being forced down. "What machine?" he asked.

As if in response, there was a deep rumbling and the floor began to shake. Jahn ignited a small flame in his hands and his eyes widened in horror as the walls began to close.

"A Satomobile crusher," Tilia whispered back in a terrified tone.

Jahn pushed at the walls but they continued to close. He placed two feet against one and kicked out with all his strength but neither Air nor Firebending would help. "Tilia, you need to stop them!"

The girl exhaled shakily, clearly panicking from the incoming doom. She lay down on the cold metal floor, extending her arms and legs out as far as possible. Clenching both her fists and her toes, she grabbed the two walls with Metalbending and they trembled to a slow stop.

Jahn sighed in relief. "Good job."

Tilia's arms were already shaking. "Jahn, I can't hold them. You need to find us a way out."

The Avatar looked around quickly. "There's nowhere but up! I can't Metalbend!"

A scream sounded from outside the machine, barely heard over the sound of the machinery. "Saall!?" Jahn shouted, concerned despite himself. What would Kuvu say if Jahn had failed to rescue her new partner? There would never be a chance to redeem himself.

He began to punch at the ceiling in desperation, to no results. Pulling at his hair, he scratched his arms in panic. "I can't!"

The walls screeched and groaned as they began to move closer once more. Tilia's eyes began to water at the sheer effort it was costing her. "Jahn! I'm not strong enough! You need to Metalbend the other one!" she yelled as the walls reached her feet and hands.

"I can't! You know I can't!" Jahn yelled back, almost at tears himself. He was going to die in here and so was Tilia. It was the latter thought that truly upset him. Yet again, he'd led someone he loved to great danger.

"Aaaargh! I..know! But Korra could!" Tilia shouted as her limbs began to bend. There was barely any room as the walls started to squeeze the remaining space.

Jahn's eyes widened as he realised what she meant. "Tilia, please…I can't…I can't control it!" he pleaded of her. The Avatar State scared him just as much as this situation did. He was as terrified by his own power as he was of death.

"If you…want us to get…out of here…then you have to!" the girl replied, struggling to Metalbend such an enormous mass of metal.

A billion thoughts ran through Jahn's head. He did not want to release the power, yet would die if he didn't. He could live with that, he supposed, in a cruelly ironic thought, but he knew that he could not be responsible for Tilia's death. Not her. No more.

"I can't just do it! I need a strong emotional feeling like anger!" he shouted. Apparently, pure panic wasn't enough to undo the safeguards he'd gradually placed on the Avatar State.

Tilia was silent for a few seconds as she pushed at the walls. In one final push, she managed to push the walls back a foot or so before she crumpled into a ball. When she uncurled, Tilia sat up and grabbed Jahn's jacket. "Just in case," she whispered, before pulling him close and kissing him hard on the lips.

Saall's leg was twisted. He could feel the pain shoot through it as he tried to claw his way across the factory floor.

"Sorry, Officer, you're going nowhere," came the sound of a man's voice. The Waterbender. He stood above him, looking down on Saall. When he clawed at the man's shoe, he kicked him in the side of the head. Pain beyond belief.

"I bet you don't even know what's going on, do you?" the Waterbender asked in a condescending voice. "The attacks over the city? Distractions. We knew you'd spread your forces thin. Our benefactor planned it all out."

"Benefactor?" Saall whispered through his pain.

The man, Ornatok, laughed. "Of course. The man who planned all of this. Aside from losing my wife, or losing the Northern Base. But still, nothing is…perfect!" he said, emphasising the final word with another kick.

After a minute, Saall uncurled from the protective ball he'd formed and looked up as he lay on his back. "So…a mastermind?"

Ornatok's eyebrow rose. "Slow, aren't you? Seeing as I'm about to end you, right now, would you like to know a secret? The identity of this mystery man?" he said with a cruel smile on his face.

"Tell."

"The man who orchestrated the Red Lotus uprising and helped us achieve our goals to rid the world of spirits forever? Why, it's only the Avatar's long last daddy. Surprise!" Ornatok laughed maniacally.

Saall was stunned. Jahn had no clue. He needed to buy some time. They'd fallen into a machine; he could see it working from across the floor. If they escaped, they could help him and he could tell them what he knew. "What happened to you? Why are you so cruel?" he asked.

"Cruel!? After what the Avatar did to me, my life? Before, it was just for the money. Honestly, I wasn't that fussed about helping anyone but my group, they believe in a better world. They can help whoever they like, but I'm just in it for the justice," the Waterbender spat. "With the spirits gone, I can march into my city with my friends behind me and Eska will have to take me back," he said with a gleam in his eyes.

Saall laughed weakly. "Mate, I may not be the best person to talk to about women, but even I know that she won't take you back now."

Ornatok snarled at him, stamping on his injured leg hard. Saall screamed out in pain as his vision went black and blue. It was a minute before he regained his thoughts, gasping in agony.

Something wet slid under his body, pulling him upwards. The water flowed up, grabbing him with it until he floated vertically above the ground. It slowly began to freeze from his leg up, working its way towards his head.

"You know nothing, NOTHING, of what I've lost! It will all work now you and the Avatar are out of my hair. Nothing will stop me from being with my love. But I'm going to stop you ever seeing yours again," Ornatok said maliciously as the ice reached Saall's head.

An enormous blast of energy suddenly erupted from the side of the factory, totally destroying part of the factory wall and the machines around. The force of the explosion knocked Saall from his watery prison and sent Ornatok flying against a parked mechasuit. When Saall raised his head to glimpse the cause, he was stunned.

Jahn was floating above the ground, supported by a small funnel of wind. In his arms, he held an unconscious Tilia, who lay still and quiet. The elements raged around him in circles; first fire, then water, then earth from outside the factory. Even the metal around was warping considerably. The Avatar State was unleashed.

"NO MORE!" Jahn said in a voice which was not his own. An intense music filled the air, making the air itself thrum with energy. Raava's song.

"IMPOSSIBLE!" Ornatok screamed. Saall glimpsed the man run at the Avatar, collecting water as he ran. Before he could reach Jahn, however, the metal factory floor had risen up and trapped him completely in a metal dome.

Something touched Saall from behind, making him start. The air around him was swirling faster and faster until he was inside a giant ball of spinning wind. It lifted him from the floor gently, into the air, beside Jahn. His eyes were glowing so intensely; the last time Saall had glimpsed this power, it had been from afar as he'd watched Jahn's date with Kuvu. Even now, it terrified him.

"What now!?" he yelled to his old rival over the rushing wind.

Jahn's eyes turned to him. "NOW, WE END THIS STUPIDITY," he said in that powerful voice, before they were carried through the factory wall and up into the late afternoon sky.


	16. Emotions Expressed

((Hello readers! This update is a little early but I'm sure you won't argue against it...so, it's time for the Book Two endgame. I'm hoping to wrap this up by the end of the month so I hope you enjoy the final few chapters!))

* * *

Emotions Expressed:

"Just in case," Tilia whispered, locking her lips with Jahn.

His entire brain fizzled with surprise and joy. Her lips were soft, albeit shaking with fear. The entire situation was desperate, yet her final act was to show him how she felt. In those final few seconds, Jahn's thoughts raced insanely.

' _Jahn.'_

The voice was familiar. He had not heard it for a long time, not since the Red Lotus incident. The inner voice at the back of his mind, always reassuring him and spurring him on. Raava.

' _Jahn,'_ she said. _'Do not run from your destiny. You cannot refuse who you are._ '

'And who am I?' he thought in return. His entire brain had turned to mush.

' _The Avatar. You must not be afraid. I will help you control my power.'_

'And if I run?'

' _Then you will die here, along with your loved one. Release the fear, Jahn.'_

Raava's voice was soothing, cutting through the murky thoughts clouding his mind. The fear he felt was intense. Between this and Tilia's lips, Jahn could barely think.

A final vision flashed in front of his eyes as Tilia's lips slowly left his. A beautiful brunette locking lips with a strong Water Tribe man with kind blue eyes, turning into a great spirit with a centipede body and the face of the woman, which turned into the Water Tribe man crying at the night sky.

Korra, Aang, Roku, Kyoshi and Kuruk. All the Avatars had lost someone dear to them. He could feel all their pain, all their anguish at being unable to help people. His own mother had been killed because of his inaction.

That split second of thought changed everything.

Tilia's lips had just left his lips when he felt the uncontrollable rush of power surging inside him. Tilia's eyes were wide in shock and her mouth was open ever so slightly. The tiny space inside the machine suddenly blazed with light, the source of what he could not see. His own eyes were giving off the light, the classic glow of the Avatar State illuminating the cramped space.

His hand pressed against the nearest moving wall, his palm tingling with energy. The wall buckled at his touch, grinding to a halt. The other one also stopped as Jahn gestured at it with his spare hand. Within two movements, they were safe.

Tilia sighed heavily in relief, but Jahn wasn't done. The metal around them began to push outwards, buckling under the intense stresses Jahn was placing on it. Within seconds, the immense forces ripped the machine apart in a huge explosion of Metalbending. The elements burst forth from Jahn's hands, erupting outwards. The nearby wall shattered as if made of glass and the two figures in the middle of the factory floor were sent flying.

The Avatar looked down at Tilia, concerned for her wellbeing. She seemed awed by his power, the flames dancing in her eyes, before exhaustion took its toll and she collapsed. Jahn caught her softly as she fell, scooping her up in his arms. Enough was enough.

The Spirit Eaters would be spared. The floor rose, entrapping the enraged Waterbender. He would not escape that prison until the police arrived. Far above, his allies were moving down towards them. Jahn felt himself speaking but his brain seemed to be on autopilot; within seconds, the three of them were gliding through the air in a hurricane-force sphere of air.

"Jahn! Jahn! Put us down!"

The voice barely registered in his mind, but he listened closely. Saall was shouting something behind him. "Down!" the man yelled.

The Avatar looked down at the ground passing quickly beneath them. The buildings were becoming more dense by the second; they were heading for the centre of the city. The sphere of air gradually lowered, losing altitude little-by-little, until their feet slowly touched ground. Saall slumped to the floor, clutching his leg in pain, whilst Jahn knelt gently as he placed the unconscious Tilia on the floor. He stroked her hair softly before standing, his eyes still glowing brightly. Around, people had rushed forward to help, staring in amazement as the Avatar stood in their midst.

Jahn had eyes only for one person, however. She stood at the forefront of the crowd, a faint smile on her face.

"Welcome back, Avatar Jahn," Korra's spirit said with kind eyes.

Behind her, each of the crowd shimmered brightly, as though covered in mist. Each person suddenly changed shape, their clothes different coloured, as each of the past Avatars all stood proudly. As Jahn looked on, he felt Raava's power fade gradually and the images faded. The crowd returned to normal, bursting into noise as Jahn's eyes faded to blue.

* * *

"Get her seen to!" Chief Mako ordered and the officer saluted. They carried the girl away on a stretcher, into the hospital lobby and out of sight. His officer, Saall, had already been taken inside. His leg seemed in a bad way. "The factory. You know where," he said to one of his deputies as he grabbed her arm, "Go and send all the officers we have spare. Some of the terrorists are there."

"No. You don't call them that."

Mako spun round in surprise. Jahn stood, his expression serious. "The one there, Ornatok. He's hurt, physically and emotionally. Heartbreak can make people do stupid things and revenge can make you do even worse."

"You're defending them?" the Chief asked in surprise. After everything, Mako had understood that Jahn wished the group gone, as did he.

The Avatar shook his head. "Of course not. I'm defending him. He did everything for his family. When he lost them, he had nothing. Do you really expect everyone to be so brave as to carry on normal life without those they love?"

Mako was speechless. "But…they…he hurt people!" he yelled, feeling his temper rise.

"Because he's alone. Alone and hurt. He probably did what he did because he missed them…"

"THAT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH!" Mako shouted at Jahn, furious. "I missed Korra! We all did! I still do! She was everything to me, even when she dated Asami, but did I go and terrorise people!? No! I carried on! It's all we can do! But when people come and threaten the lives we've built because they think they're the only ones to have lost someone!? I will NOT let them get away with it!"

There was silence around them. Even the remaining crowd seemed hushed, held back from the police by a small barricade. Jahn stood, looking directly into Mako's golden eyes, unsure of what to say in response. Clearly, being fair about everyone was one of the Avatar's trickier duties.

Jahn shrugged, rolling his eyes. He did it deliberately, aware the motion would strike a chord.

It did. Mako's eyes widened for a split second as he recognised Korra's impertinence. When Jahn grinned slightly, the Chief of Police smiled sadly. "I'm sorry," Mako apologised, "but I've kept that in a while. I..uh…usually talk to Bolin about these things but seeing as he's not here…I dunno, I just miss him. I guess that's no reason to shout at you though, Avatar, so I apologise."

"It's fine," Jahn replied honestly. "Listen, I don't condone what they're doing. At all. Destroying spirits will only hurt our world in the long run. Hurting people is just as bad. We're all equal, Mako, but they don't see it," he said sadly. "But treating them with the same anger and resentment will only make things worse. I could have killed Ornatok easily, but he needs to face his own actions. Maybe then he'll start to redeem himself and who knows, he might just earn his family back," Jahn finished with a sad smile.

The Chief placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder and nodded. "It seems as though the Avatar wisdom is rubbing off on you. I keep forgetting how different and yet how alike Korra you really are."

Jahn ground his teeth to prevent any emotions from welling up. In truth, that comment meant a huge deal. Sadly, now was not the time to become emotional.

"Have you heard from the Temple?"

Mako's face fell. "We got a report just before you arrived here. The Spirit Eaters are there."

Jahn stepped back in alarm. "So we have time to sit and chat!? We need to go and help!"

The Chief shook his head. "I'm afraid it's a little late for that. Qi-lóng is safe for now, sure, but we received a radio call from the Southern Water Tribe. The Spirit Eaters have agents there."

The Avatar frowned. "What've they done?" he whispered, dreading the answer.

Mako inhaled deeply and finally sighed. "The Great Water Spirit. They destroyed it."

Jahn felt dizzy. He thrust a hand out and leant against a nearby wall as he felt a great surge of emotion overcome him. Raava was upset.

"Jahn? Are you alright? Come on, we need to get you inside for a check-up," he heard Mako say. An arm supported his, but he barely felt it. His feet seemed to be moving but he couldn't tell where he was going. His thoughts were far too rushed. Past Avatar's voices clouded his mind, creating a cacophony of sound, but he knew he had to listen for one voice in particular. The one who started it all.

He sat up quickly, confused. He was lying on a clean white bed in an empty ward. How long had he been out? The sun was still setting, so it couldn't have been long. Shaking his head, he tried to stand but felt dizzy once more. He breathed deeply, wishing the feeling away, concentrating on that faint voice in his mind.

"War must not begin again. I fought hard to stop the spirits and the humans from battling each other after Vaatu was released. You must not let it start, Jahn," the voice said faintly. Jahn knew it, as though hearing from an old friend.

Another voice spoke just as the first finished. " _Wan is right, Jahn_ ," Raava said within him. " _You are the bridge between our worlds. You must stop this_."

Jahn bit his lip. "How?" he said aloud. "A great Elemental spirit is destroyed. The spirits won't stand for this. I can't go and wipe them out to save all the humans. That'd just do exactly what the Spirit Eaters want."

" _You must be brave. There is always a solution, Jahn. You must find the light within the dark."_

"But how can I be a bridge when our worlds are now one? It's impossible!"

Raava seemed amused. " _Have you truly not discovered the answer? A bridge is always needed to guide the way. How else do we know where to pass the river?"_

A riddle as usual. Jahn opened his eyes, focusing on the bed opposite. "But saving Qi-lóng won't do anything. The spirits are probably already marching to war."

The voice changed. On the bed opposite, a shimmering blue figure sat in the lotus position. "Saving one life is always worth doing, Jahn," Korra said with a smile.

Jahn frowned. "What does one life mean in the midst of all this?"

The figure shimmered and changed. "One life can change the world, Jahn," Avatar Aang said wisely. "You know this better than anyone. You are the Avatar."

"An Avatar who seems to put everyone in harm's way. I'm not ready," Jahn replied in a worried voice.

Again, the change. "Jahn, mastering the Avatar State takes years of discipline. You have taken the first step on that long road. You are ready if you believe it to be so," Avatar Roku said, a stern expression on his face.

"Even if I go, even if I stop them, I'll have to hurt people. I've done that once before. I never want to do it again," Jahn said honestly. With every confession, his head became clearer and clearer.

The change. "Duty is sacred for an Avatar. We must keep the balance at all costs. There is a difference, however, between losing loved ones in the fight and sacrificing them for the good of the many," Avatar Kyoshi said cryptically.

"I can't risk my friends. I won't. Not again," Jahn said in a determined voice.

The figure shimmered. "Avatar Jahn, you won't risk your loved ones. Tell me, what will happen to them if you fail to act? If you fail to see the danger, as I once did, will you not put them in harm's way?" Avatar Kuruk asked of him.

Jahn was quiet. He pondered the question, aware that his own past lives were questioning his courage. The thought made him both sad and angry; they had all suffered in their time and made difficult choices. Why were they questioning him now?

"And saving Qi-lóng? None of you have answered. Saving him will do nothing."

A final change.

"Saving one life may change the world around you. The spirits may appreciate your gesture; the humans dislike your enemies, as do you spirits. Nothing is more unifying than a common goal…or a common enemy," Avatar Yangchen said knowingly.

Jahn watched as the Airbender spirit faded away like dust on the wind. At last, the voices in his mind were quiet, giving him a moment to think. Of course, there was only one course of action now. But before he left for the Temple, he needed to see someone.

His first few steps were cautious but upon realising his clarity of thought, Jahn's progress through the hospital was unhindered. Doctors and nurses alike moved out of his way as he made his way down the hallways towards where he knew she lay recovering, driven by some strange instinct.

' _Love.'_

"Shut up Raava," Jahn muttered under his breath. He wasn't prepared to deal with that word just yet.

The sun was blindingly bright as he walked through the door, shining through the open window at the end of the room. The ward was empty, save for one person lying asleep on a bed. Tilia was fast asleep but at least she was safe and unharmed. Jahn stood by her for a moment, smiling softly as he held her hand.

"So, I have to leave you here for now. You'll be safe, I know. When I come back, I…have something to say to you. About…y'know…the kiss," he said awkwardly. He knew she was asleep but admitting his feelings was difficult after the damage Kuvu had caused. "You know my history, yet you never doubted me. At the end of the line, you kissed me. Having you around makes me feel sure of myself. You make me feel…happy," he admitted, squeezing her hand lightly.

Of course, there was no response. Her chest rose and fell gently as she slumbered onwards, dreaming of…who knows?

"We'll talk it through when I'm back but…just in case…" Jahn said, repeating her own words. He leant over and gently kissed her, hoping he wouldn't wake her. When she didn't stir, the Avatar took one quick glance at Tilia's resting face and left the room, smiling as he went.

"What're you grinning at? Urgh, you look even more stupid than normal, kid," a gruff voice said behind him. As Jahn turned round, he was pleased to see his old Firebending instructor, leaning against the wall.

"Akirai. You're awake," he observed.

The woman shrugged. One of her arms was scarred; the skin was red and malformed, damaged by lightning. Her face was drawn and thin, giving her an air of illness and harm. Despite how she looked, however, her grin was the same. "Just about. Feel like crap. Heard you saved the city? Good going kid."

"Erm, thanks. Listen, I'm glad you're awake and everything and we'll catch up soon, but I really need to go and…" he started to say, before the Fire Nation royal waved him off. She rolled her eyes as she said, "Spirit Eaters eh? Radio's been going crazy with it all. They want a war with spirits? Dicks. Even I know that's a stupid-ass idea."

"If I can help to make a difference, it might be avoided," Jahn said resolutely. "I'm the Avatar; it's my duty."

Akirai laughed lowly. Jahn frowned, unable to see the humour in his statement. When the woman finished, she straightened up and crossed her arms. "You think that? You're the Avatar, sure. But you're just one guy. You can only do so much; don't let these cretins put so much pressure on you."

"Hmm. They think the same thing. Apparently they formed to help people, to try and make a difference when I couldn't. Sometimes I-"

"Not the spirit killers, you idiot. I meant _these_ people!" she said, gesturing wide with one arm at the empty hallway. "The everyday busy-bodies. What did they do before the Avatar? Most can fight. We'll be fine. You just do you and try and save who you can."

Her advice was unexpected, despite the expected tone of it. "I guess. Thanks," he replied quietly. "Listen, I've wasted enough time. I need to help the Airbenders."

"Ah, I heard. No baby Zukoh or Kazon to bail you out this time?"

"Actually, Kazon's with me. I need to find him, actually," Jahn conceded. If he needed assistance in defending the spirit, then he could think of no one better than his friends.

"Huh," Akirai said with a begrudging look. "Maybe he's growing up at last."

Something sprung to Jahn's memory. Even though Kazon's revelation was clearly an intimate secret, surely his family would know about it. Now might be the only time he could ask.

"Before I go, tell me…what do you know of his daughter?" the Avatar asked.

The Fire Nation royal froze. Her grin vanished immediately, replaced with a wary look. After a few seconds, she blinked rapidly and shook her head. "No. You don't ask me. Whatever Kazon told you, that's more than anyone else knows. If he wants your help, he'll ask when he's ready. Don't go prying, or else you'll regret it," she warned ominously. Nothing scared Akirai; she was indomitable. Perhaps Kazon had more layers than Jahn realised.

Jahn nodded. Without saying another word, he backed away and turned, making his way towards the exit. Enough time had been wasted talking. His inner thoughts had been discussed, his emotions expressed. Avatar Kuruk had been right. If he didn't act now, he might lose everything.

* * *

The glow dimmed in his eyes as the sphere of air spun into nothingness. Jahn looked around, allowing the Avatar State to fade, as he observed the battle-worn courtyard outside the Air Temple. Nobody was around. Either this was a point in his favour or totally the opposite. Somewhat cautiously, he made his way across the courtyard and into the Air Temple.

He felt more in control of himself than ever, having finally allowed himself to use the Avatar State. That fear had been holding him back, making it dangerous when it was simply a tool to be used in his capable hands. Creeping through the deserted temple, however, made him feel extremely uneasy. Despite everything, events were unfolding and control was slipping through his fingers like water or sand.

At the end of the corridor lay a still figure. When he rushed over to help, Jahn was concerned to see an Airbender unconscious, her chest rising and falling slowly. Her robes were still damp, as though drenched in heavy rain. When he brushed the hair from her face, he felt a pang of guilt.

Auri. She seemed badly beaten up but at least she was still breathing. Jahn grabbed a nearby cloth lying on the floor and used it to support her head. Patting her shoulder gently, he stood up and made for the stairs.

What concerned him most was what he hadn't seen. Flying in from the city should have rewarded him with a great view of Qi-lóng spilling over the roof of the temple. Whilst partially damaged, the roof had been bare. Where was the great spirit?

Signs of a struggle could be seen all throughout the temple. The damage was not great, but chipped tiles and broken tapestries here and there lay as evidence of the fight. Jahn frowned as he passed a large hole in the wall, allowing the orange glow of the setting sun to blaze throughout the hallway.

Jahn crept into a nearby room, glancing around at the mess someone had caused. Puddles of water still lay on the floor and scorch marks were dotted around the walls. Jahn brushed one said mark in a dark corner of the room, when he heard something move behind him. Turning quickly, he watched silently as a figure emerged from a nearby wardrobe. It crept stealthily towards the door, barely making a sound, until it passed Jahn and glanced down the corridor. The man, upon finding nobody, relaxed and made to turn back. As he did so, he noticed the dark corner and the new shape within it. As he peered closer, two glowing lights appeared before him suddenly, making him jump back.

"Where are the Airbenders!?" Jahn shouted, forcing the man back with a huge gust of air. The man slammed into the far wall and slumped on the ground, catching his breath. When he finally gulped enough oxygen to speak, he did so between huge breaths. "Avatar…upstairs…it's an honour…" the man said, bowing his head slightly.

Jahn growled lowly. "Get. Out. NOW!" he shouted, pointing at the door. The man scrambled towards it, fleeing down the corridor from the way Jahn came.

Had the man being lying in wait? Or had he been hiding from the attackers? It didn't matter now. Jahn needed to find Jinora, Tenzin and Aana. If they were to be anywhere, they might be…

A thought struck him. If the Spirit Eaters had attacked the Temple, there was one room which was nigh impregnable. One room that Jahn alone would certainly have a connection to. Down below, the room which Jahn had stumbled across when he still rebelled against his own identity.

His progress was swift, his actions precise. Nobody else got in his way as he made his way into the Temple's lower chambers. He remembered the way, driven by concern. His thoughts strayed to Anik and Kazon as he ran; Mako had mentioned their return but their whereabouts were unknown to him. As long as they were safe. Jahn would face this alone if he had to.

The Avatar Sanctum doors were locked when he arrived. The great horns lay quiet, the corridor showing no signs of anybody passing through. If they weren't here, then where?

Jahn inhaled deeply and allowed Raava's power to flow through him. The feeling, which had terrified him for so long, seemed as natural as breathing now. He stepped back, spinning round as he delivered a powerful roundhouse kick to the door. The blast of wind tore towards the horns and sped inside, sounding a loud fanfare as the doors rumbled open. Jahn stepped back, hoping someone would emerge.

They did.

Kai hobbled out, clutching one shoulder with a spare arm. Behind him, clutching the tattered leg of his wingsuit, was Aana, looking frightened. When she saw Jahn, her face lit up and she ran towards him, hugging him tightly. Jahn smiled, returning the hug. "Hey Aana. Kai," he said more formally, nodding towards the Airbender. It seemed appropriate, given the circumstances.

"Jahn," Kai greeted him. "Where've…never mind. We didn't expect such an attack. They were all so powerful…nearly as strong as you when you…y'know…" he said, awkwardly looking to one side.

"Lose control of the Avatar State, yeah," Jahn conceded. "It won't happen again."

Kai looked at him closely. "You do seem different. That's probably best. We really need your help," he said, looking as though he could cry.

"Is it Jinora!?" Jahn said in a slight panic. Kai shook his head, pulling Aana close as she returned to him. "No," the Airbender said, "she's out searching. Aana stayed with me; I can't fly with one good arm."

"Searching? For who?"

Aana turned, her lip shaking as tears filled her eyes. "They took Grandfather," she said, starting to cry softly.


	17. Consequences of Compassion

((Hey readers! It's the finale of book two, craaaazy! I hope you enjoy and i'll post a proper final message in a few days! Thanks for reading!))  


* * *

Consequences of Compassion:

"They kidnapped Tenzin!?"

Kai nodded sadly. "Their bending was insane. I've never fought anyone so strong before. They took Tenzin after they managed to get to the top floors. He tried to fight them off but…"

Jahn nodded, placing a reassuring hand on Kai's shoulder. "Then they took him to try and goad me there. Another trap," he muttered, aware of the reoccurrence. Scarlett had taken Zukoh hostage to draw him in and now the Spirit Eaters were doing the same. Jahn's fingers curled tightly into a fist as his temper flared.

"That's only half of it. Qi-lóng flew off once they got high enough; I think Jinora managed to convince him to leave. He flew through the portal, into the Spirit World, but they want you to bring it back. They want you to be the one to lure the spirits into a trap," Kai said in a dejected tone.

Jahn shook for a second, before spinning and punching a hole clean through the wall. "Damn them!" he swore angrily, not caring if Aana heard or not. The girl seemed to upset to listen, however. "They use Tenzin as leverage to get me to betray the spirits? To take a side!? I'm the Avatar! I can't take sides!"

Kai nodded. "I..know," he said through gritted teeth as his arm flared in pain. "I know, Jahn. You've got to be the bridge between our worlds but at the end of the day, sometimes you have to pick a side. Korra knew that. She was always on the side of her family, no matter the cost," the Airbender said.

"If I do as they say, if I…drag Qi-lóng back here to die, I'm no better than they are. They can't expect me to agree!" Jahn cried out, ignoring Kai's advice.

"If they have Tenzin, you might not have a choice."

This finally struck a chord. Jahn spun round again, nostrils heaving as he took deep, angry breaths. Were it not for his new-found control of the Avatar State, he'd have destroyed half the temple in his fury by now. After a few seconds, he considered Kai's statement. "I had a choice once before. I did what was needed to stop people from being hurt in the future, but I've regretted it ever since. Taking a life isn't an option. Ever. You Airbenders are right about that. But that doesn't mean I can allow spirits to die so that humans aren't harmed. They're just as important as any of us," Jahn admitted.

Aana lifted her head from Kai's robes, into which she had been weeping. Her eyes were red and wet, her nose runny slightly, but she sniffed loudly to clear it. "The spirits are our friends. You need to help them and my Grandfather. Please," she pleaded in a tone which made Jahn's own eyes water slightly. She seemed so upset, so helpless. Her mother and grandfather were gone, both in danger. Jahn owed them all too much to ignore Aana's pleas.

He crouched, looking her in her eyes with a gentle smile on his face. "Don't worry Aana. I'm going to find your mother and your grandfather. I'm going to stop the bad guys. I'm going to save the spirits and your family and I'm going to make sure nobody else is hurt. You understand? I'll fix this," he promised.

Aana's face shook as she almost burst into tears once more. Eventually, a faint smile crept up her face, making Jahn grin in return. He stood, facing Kai straight on. "I meant every word. I'll get them back," he said, making the Airbender nod in silent thanks.

He turned, striding back down the corridor with a fast pace. He knew where they'd be. If they wanted the spirits back, the Spirit Eaters would go to the one place spirits were bound to be in Republic City.

The portal.

* * *

Anik ducked.

The stream of water had almost taken his head clean off. Their bending was powerful, easily more so than his own, yet he had a job to do. Kazon was nearby, spinning and dancing around the attacks, kicking fire back at the trio.

Downtown Republic City was falling apart, yet nobody came here anymore. The city had moved elsewhere, leaving the old spirit wilds to nature. What little of the spirit wilds that remained around the relatively new portal was untamed and vicious. Clearly, the Spirit Eaters had been here first, as there were no spirits to be seen and the vines themselves had cleared considerably.

"Anik, right!" Kazon shouted.

Anik span, bending the water nearby into an icy shield which blocked the incoming ice shard. It embedded deep into his shield, nearly spearing Anik on the other side. The waterbender wrinkled his nose in irritation and sent the ice back at the attacker.

The two officer s behind them were advancing slowly, using a jagged metal sign as a shield. Ice simply bounced off it, allowing them to advance to where Anik and Kazon were holding the line. It had not been long since Tenzin's kidnapping had become wide knowledge amongst the Republic City Police. To that end, Kazon and Anik had come searching here, once Jinora had suggested it as a likely hideout. She was scouring the skies from above, eager to find any sign of her father. If they could reach the radio, they could let her know and summon reinforcements before the Spirit Eaters managed to escape.

Sadly, the radio was frozen in a small puddle somewhere in front of them. The attackers were sending both water and air at them, preventing any ground to be made. If the officers would hurry up, the situation could be dealt with easily. Sadly, they were taking their time moving down the cracked and broken street.

The elements were flying back and forth down the road. Both sides had cover of sorts; broken buildings and chunks of rocks on the street. No matter how much Kazon dodged or Anik ducked, neither of them could land a hit. Stalemate.

"Kazon! We need to-dammit!" Anik yelled as a huge gust of air knocked him to the floor, despite his cover. He clambered to his feet from all fours, slightly disorientated.

Kazon landed heavily beside him, one foot frozen solid. He tucked his leg behind the decrepit truck they were sheltering behind just as a water whip smacked the road where it had been. Anik melted the water with a flick of his wrist, disappointed. They were now further from their target than ever.

Behind them, the officers were drawing nearer. As Kazon glanced round to check their progress, he spotted a hazy blue figure some ways behind them. It vanished, only to reappear closer. After a number of times, the figure suddenly burst into existence right by them, floating above the ground slightly. She looked confused but confusion quickly turned to alarm.

"Guys! What're you doing here?" Jinora's astral projection asked them.

"Oh, you know, just having a party. Few unwelcome guests, nothing serious," Anik said sarcastically, bending some icy shards at their attackers.

"I was following the trail of my father's spiritual energy. It flows down here; he must be in the spirit wilds ahead!" Jinora said in an alarmed voice.

Kazon nodded. "Yes, although we're struggling to-"he began to say, before Jinora suddenly vanished once more and did not return. "Rude," the Fire Prince sulked.

Anik span round, his back to the truck as he caught his breath. "So what's the plan? We don't need the radio anymore. We could just retreat."

Kazon shook his head. "Anik, we don't need the radio. You're right," he pointed out. "That being said, could you really live with yourself if you ran now when we had the opportunity to help Master Tenzin?"

The Waterbender was silent for a few moments. He finally looked up, a rueful expression on his face. "Ah….fine. Something tells me that this is gonna hurt though," Anik said pessimistically.

The two officers dropped their shield and rolled to their side behind the truck. They both looked rather worried. "What now, Sir?" they asked Kazon.

"We push forward. You know that shield? We're going to need some more metal," Kazon said with a grin.

* * *

The obnoxious Waterbender did not seem the type to hurt others just because he could. In truth, he seemed to be frightened and out of control. The others had painted Ornatok in a bad light, yet Tenzin was a good judge of character. He always prided himself on that.

What he didn't expect were the severe attitudes of the others in his group. Ornatok was a lost soul, yearning for the light, yet the others did not seem so confused. Most were full of deadly intent, driven by a single goal. If they would only take the damned rope out of his mouth, he could ask what that goal really was.

He was tied to a giant spirit vine with thick ropes, sat with his hands tied behind his back. There was no chance he could Airbend his way out of this. His arms and mouth were tied up. The fact they had beaten him so easily had infuriated him; even though his father had passed away at an earlier age, Tenzin hated being so weak and old. He'd fought some of the enemy off well, until they'd overpowered him with some incredible bending. Only the Avatar could surpass that kind of skill and power.

Kai and Aana had fled down an emergency exit, down to the Avatar Sanctuary. Hopefully they'd be safe there. Jinora had been above, convincing Qi-lóng to leave. When the Spirit Eaters had taken Tenzin from the Temple, there was no sight of the dragon-spirit or his daughter.

The ropes round his wrist were uncomfortable but it was the one round his mouth that was irritating him the most. Bound as he was, his thoughts turned to his children. If there was one person who couldn't be quietened, it was Meelo.

Meelo. Of course. He'd find a unique way to get out of this. An idea sprang to mind.

There were two guards pacing up and down nearby. If he escaped his bonds, they'd put him right back in. That being said, Tenzin simply wanted to speak. Maybe they'd let him.

He wrinkled his nose up and down, left and right, hoping for a reaction. When nothing happened, he looked around. Nearby, a spirit plant was in full bloom, the pollen coating the inside. Tenzin waggled his fingers, hoping to lift a light enough breeze to dislodge it. A small gust of wind began to blow, picking up the pollen as it drifted towards him. The master Airbender braced himself as he felt the pollen irritate the inside of his nose. After a few seconds, he felt the familiar sensation in the bridge of his nose.

"ACHOO!" Tenzin sneezed loudly. The force of the sneeze, amplified by his Airbending, snapped the thin rope clean in half and it fell limply across his chest. "Excuse me," Tenzin said politely at the two guards, who had run over immediately.

"Hey, you're not supposed to be talking!" one guard said, grabbing at another length of rope at his belt.

"Wait. Let me speak with him please. I think it's time we had a little chat about the future of this world," a voice said from behind. Tenzin couldn't quite see who was sat on the vine above him, yet he could hear the familiar tone of the Waterbender.

"Ornatok. Please let me go. I need to see my family," he pleaded. Ornatok laughed somewhere above him. Ah well, it was worth a go. "At least tell me what you plan to do with me," Tenzin said in a slightly more dignified tone.

The Waterbender jumped off the vine and landed in front of him. When he turned, he seemed excessively cocky, as though he'd been named Tribe Chief. "You're just bait. Sorry, old man, but you're not worth anything to anyone anymore."

"Ah, I see. Bait for my daughter or bait for the Avatar?" Tenzin asked. He was getting answers. This was good; if he survived this, he could play his part in fixing the mess this group had made.

"You'll see. It's been a tough time getting you here, I must admit. My plan wasn't exactly without its problems," Ornatok conceded.

Tenzin frowned. "Your plan? You lead this group?"

The Waterbender kicked at the dirt with a scowl on his face. "Essentially. Our leader was killed in the avalanche when our base exploded. Those damned spirits killed a few of us that day. I suggested a plan and everyone seemed to agree it was our best course of action. Flattering or what?" he said with arms outstretched.

"Hm. Very. So, you get the Avatar here. Then what? End the Avatar cycle?"

It was Ornatok's time to frown. "Oh you poor old fool. Don't be ridiculous. We're doing this FOR the Avatar. For all of you! Sure, some sacrifices have to be made, such as yourself, but when we get the power we need, the rest of our group can go and help everyone in the world! That burden won't rest on the Avatar's shoulders alone any longer."

"The rest of the group?"

"Ah. Well, I don't share such a noble goal. My motives are more personal. The spirits are the reason my wife left me. If there are no more spirits, my wife will see sense and return to my side with my son," the Waterbender said, gazing off into the distance, imagining the day when his daydream would be realised. "Shame the Avatar made it personal. I bear the next Avatar no ill will but Jahn…well, he and I need another conversation. As if a metal prison could keep me locked away for long…" he mused under his breath.

Tenzin watched the Waterbender. He felt no anger towards his kidnappers; the group were as misguided as Ornatok. They'd lost their leader, lost their true purpose, leaving only a broken husk behind. The Air Nation would never be so broken, even in their darkest hour, so Tenzin's heart went out to the lost souls surrounding him. Despite this, they still posed a significant threat. A handful of individuals had caused more carnage than some armies had.

"You can't go through with what you're planning, you know. The spirits will retaliate in force. You'll be wiped out," he told Ornatok in a desperate voice. His aim was to help prevent the oncoming storm, yet saving these people was just as important.

Ornatok turned with a snarl, waving one hand wide. Tenzin's tongue suddenly felt strange, as though it had become extremely heavy within seconds. An extreme cold shot down his throat, suffocating him slowly as he gasped for air. The Waterbender had frozen his tongue and closed off his throat with ice. "Enough! Don't pity us, you idiot. We'll be fine," the other man said in a vicious tone. After a few seconds, he waved his hand again and the ice instantly melted, the water gushing down Tenzin's throat, making him cough and splutter.

"Right. Grab the old man and head to the final rendezvous," Ornatok said to the two guards, before straightening a patch of fur on his jacket. "We'll meet them at the portal."

* * *

The shell was holding together. Just.

The ice binding all the pieces of metal together was melting faster than Anik could refreeze it. The enemy Waterbenders were melting the ice around them, hoping to send their shield crashing down. Anik was sweating with the concentration; he had to immediately refreeze anything that melted.

The two officers were holding the metal steady for him and pushing the entire thing forward. It encased them all, a huge shell of metal and ice, deflecting any attacks sent their way. Desperate to stop their advance, the Spirit Eaters were trying any tactic they could manage.

Kazon crouched at the head of the shell. He could feel any fire within a certain range, burning through the air. Any attacks he could deflect, the Fire Prince sent right back at them. The Spirit Eaters only had so much room to retreat before they were in attacking range. As soon as they were, Kazon's close-quarters firebending should be enough to put a halt to this madness.

The vines beneath their feet withdrew before they could be stepped upon. None of them could see how far they were away from the Spirit Eaters, yet the attacks were coming faster and faster. Not long now.

A sudden shout to their left broke their intense concentration. Anik tripped slightly over a rock on the floor, surprised by the closeness of the noise. Part of the right wall immediately crashed to the floor, revealing a shocked looking Spirit Eater. His eyes were not looking at them, however.

"Now!" Kazon shouted. The officers both spread their arms quickly, sending the metal plates spinning out in a whirling dervish of metal and ice. One Spirit Eater hit the floor as a huge piece hit him square in the chest, whilst another ducked low to avoid any debris. Kazon leapt into the air, spinning around and firing off blasts of flame as he descended. Where the attackers should be, however, was not where they were. One of them was high in the air, grappling with a huge spirit vine which had curled around her left leg and hoisted her high into the sky. All of their group gazed upwards as the Spirit Eater tried to slice at the vine with an icy blade covering her entire arm.

"Erm…bad time?" Anik quipped, unsure what was happening. Before they could act, another vine burst from a nearby house and slammed into the Spirit Eater to their right, who failed to duck this particular attack. The vine grabbed his arm and pulled him screaming into the house. Anik and Kazon exchanged a worried glance, aware of the severity of the situation.

"Sir, what do we—" one of the officers behind them asked nervously, before he was cut off. A vine curled down from above and snatched him up within seconds, leaving only his hat on the floor.

"Go! GO!" Kazon shouted, pointing at a gap in-between two broken buildings ahead. As soon as Anik sprinted past him, the Fire Prince propelled himself along with two huge spouts of fire from his hands. The vines were going wild. The Spirit Eaters clearly weren't the only targets.

A shout from behind signalled the capture of the other officer. He'd been the quieter one but his shriek of terror made Kazon feel immensely guilty. They'd helped out, in their own way, yet both of them had been taken and neither Anik or Kazon had the chance to help.

"Where now!?" Anik shouted over his shoulder as they emerged onto another street. The gloom from the vines and trees above seemed even darker than before, leaving them lost in a maze of shattered civilisation.

"Down that road! Can you see? The portal!" Kazon said. In the distance, he could just glimpse a grassy plain through the gaps in the trees. A bright light glimmered in the distance and it could surely only be one thing.

Anik reached it first. The vines around them were twisting down like giant snakes, unfurling in their anger at the human intruders. The Waterbender cleared the trees and dashed out onto the grassy plain. Kazon's heart felt like it was about to burst as he glimpsed the lights ahead…

Something shot across the gap between the trees within a split second. Kazon couldn't stop himself as he ran straight into it. It caught him across the throat, cutting off his air supply and making him crash into the dirt below immediately. He gasped for air, unable to breathe as he felt a tickling sensation below. Tiny vines were crawling up his legs, covering him completely, burying him alive. He couldn't breathe, couldn't think, couldn't fight back. Images flashed before his eyes; his family, his home, his friends and finally, a baby, wrapped in a royal Fire Nation blanket.

That one thought drove into his brain like a spike. The anger that boiled forth was beyond comparison. He would not be stopped, not now. He had to find his daughter and no damned vines were getting in his damn way!

The fire that ignited from his hands was an intense blue, so hot did it burn. It flattened quickly, turning into a white hot blade of flame. He slashed upwards, slicing through the vines as though they were made of parchment. Hacking upwards, Kazon awkwardly clambered free of the vines, still gasping for air. A hand grabbed his free one, pulling him free of the mess, but Kazon was incensed. Three huge vines were creeping towards them and as he spotted them, they burst forth to try and snatch him away.

His lungs inflated at last. Taking one huge, blessed breath of air, Kazon screamed at the vines as they plummeted towards them. From his mouth, a huge white plume of flame erupted, incinerating the attacking vines instantly and leaving the ground beneath cracked and aflame.

Something pulled at his clothes, dragging him free of the trees. They both stumbled to the floor, inhaling deeply as they tried to push themselves away from the spirit wilds. When they'd reached a sufficient distance, Anik and Kazon lay on their backs, panting heavily.

"Got…got some anger issues there, eh?" Anik pointed out dryly. For once, he didn't seem to be laughing.

Kazon didn't reply. He was exhausted. In truth, he was getting too old for all this running around. His life had been simple military fare before he'd come to Republic City to rout the Red Lotus. Plus, he still had some leftover issues to handle. That was hard to deny any longer.

"Come on bud, we're nearly there. If we can reach Jahn and Jinora, we can sort this all out," Anik said, holding out a hand as he stood over the Fire Prince. Kazon sighed and took it, groaning as he was hoisted to his feet. Rolling his shoulders, he looked out across the grassy plain towards the portal and the broken buildings beyond and prepared himself for the oncoming storm.

* * *

Jinora landed at a run, sprinting towards the group of people stood by the portal. Her robes flapped wildly, her glider remained open, yet she did not care. Her father was amongst those people and she was determined to save him. The glow from the portal illuminated everything within the vicinity as the stars twinkled brightly above. The night had just begun, yet the air was crisp and chilly.

"Stop there!" a voice shouted out. The person who spoke had raised a hand, holding out defiantly.

Jinora jogged to an eventual stop. She snapped her glider back into its retracted position and walked forward slowly, using it as a support. She'd caught a glancing blow from a Firebender's attack whilst defending her home on her left leg, leaving it slightly delicate. Her panic outweighed her pain, yet she couldn't ignore it completely.

"Ah, little miss airhead. Nice to see you again. Want to tear more of my life away?" one of the figures said. Stepping forward, Ornatok wrung his hands together in a nervous manner.

"Ornatok. Where's my father?" Jinora asked him in an angry tone.

The Waterbender shrugged. "Have some patience. I've had to wait far too long to see my wife and son again. You can spare a few more minutes to see your precious dad again," he snapped in response.

Jinora took another angry step forward but a noise above them distracted her. High above, a swirling orb of air descended; surrounded by the other elements twirling around him, the Avatar lowered himself until his feet touched ground. His eyes were glowing as bright as the spirit portal nearby.

"Oh no…" Jinora whispered under her breath, bracing herself. Only a couple of months earlier, Jahn had caused devastation right here. More wrath was yet to be unleashed.

It surprised her, however, to see his eyes dim and fade. Jahn strode forward towards her, his face serious. "Jahn…you…." Jinora begun to say before Jahn grabbed her and pulled her into a hug. This action alone surprised her as much as Jahn's sudden control over the Avatar State; he'd never been one to wear his heart on his sleeve. "I'm glad you're safe," she heard him say in her ear. When he released her, Jinora wiped away a tear from her eye. Her friends would always be there for her.

"Ornatok!" Jahn yelled loudly from her side.

The Waterbender was watching closely, surrounded by a small handful of his compatriots. There were only seven of them in total and Tenzin was nowhere to be seen. "What?" Ornatok replied rudely.

"Release Tenzin now, step away from that portal and surrender yourselves to the authorities. Your plans end now," Jahn said in a loud, imperative tone.

Ornatok laughed. His allies chuckled along with him, all clearly amused at a joke only they understood. When they had finished, Ornatok held his arms out wide and looked around obviously. "Do you see the Airbending master here? I think you're a little confused, Avatar."

Jahn watched his enemies closely, thinking hard before he responded. Jinora looked sideways at him, hoping he'd act soon. Whilst they held her father, they had leverage.

"Destroying the spirits will bring war to this world. Your wife and son will be in danger and if the spirits attack, they won't be able to defend themselves. You're not there to protect them; how quickly can the spirits kill them before you get back home?" Jahn asked in a blunt, uncompromising tone. Jinora was startled; she'd never heard Jahn be so downright cruel about something so important before. He usually had more tact.

Ornatok didn't reply. In truth, from what she could see in the pulsing light of the portal, the Spirit Eater seemed visibly shaken. He'd raised a hand to retort, yet no words came from his mouth.

"Ornatok, the portal!" shouted one of the Spirit Eaters behind him, pointing to their left.

They all turned, watching as shapes emerged from the portal, making it flash every time something came through. Within seconds, there was a huge mass of moving shapes moving towards them. A small army of spirits had emerged from the Republic City spirit portal and they stood, waiting for the humans to react.

"Spirits! Please return to the spirit world! I'm trying to stop all this madness; please be assured, the criminals who hurt your kind-" Jahn shouted to the crowd with his hands held up in peace, but one spirit cut him off with a roar.

"Humans! Humans are the criminals who attacked us! Your kind is born in blood and fire, Avatar. You must not be allowed to damage the balance of this world any longer," the spirit screamed back. "I, Zhansha, have brought loyal spirits here to begin the great purge. You humans started this and now we shall finish it."

Jahn sighed. "Ah, so you're Zhansha. Please listen! We don't need to fight anymore!"

The angry spirit bristled at his pleas for peace. "No, Avatar! It is our duty to prevent any more spirits from suffering! This is the only way balance can be restored!"

"You're wrong! We're here to restore balance! It's our duty to help everyone all around the world, to help the Avatar in restoring peace, but sacrifices have to be made, oh great spirits!" one of the Spirit Eaters shouted back.

"Indeed they do! So, to the matter at hand," Ornatok said with a gleeful look on his face, "you can either go through that portal and grab the great Air Spirit for us or we attack the spirits here."

Jahn frowned. "I'm not going to chase down Qi-Lóng for you. Don't even think about attacking or I'll shut you down. You haven't a chance before I stop you all," he said boldly.

Ornatok shrugged. "Well, that's true. Although we DO still have Tenzin. If you don't go in, we'll kill the old man."

"NO!" Jinora shouted. Jahn thrust out an arm, preventing her from rushing forward. The tension was immense; one wrong move could end it all.

Jahn's next words were carefully thought out. "Jinora, go get your father. I'll stay here and prevent this."

Ornatok shook his head. "Ha! No you don't," he spat, removing a small radio from his pocket. "This will send a message to my men in _that_ building there," he said, pointing out one of the broken buildings at the edge of the plain, "to kill Tenzin if you two split up. You have a choice to make. Stay and stop this and lose the old man or choose family and stay out of our way."

Jahn's eyes were wide as he thought frantically. Jinora tugged at his sleeve desperately, her eyes filling with tears. "Jahn, please…my dad..." she begged.

His heart felt like it was breaking. Again, he was placed in an impossible position. Tenzin would want him to choose duty, to save the world even if it meant his demise. He'd agreed with Jahn's decision to end Scarlett's life back when he was struggling with his actions. Remembering that horrible act sent a shiver down his spine.

"I'm so sorry…" he whispered aloud, just loud enough for Jinora to hear him. Her grip slackened, her hand falling away. Jahn dared not look at her face; he knew what she was feeling and he didn't want to see that look. Ever.

"Sorry about the choice of building, by the way," Ornatok continued to sneer. "I've heard it's where you lost your mother; I know he said not to go near it but I couldn't resist."

Jahn looked up, suddenly full of anger. The same building his mother had been killed in!? "One question. One question before ALL of this," he said, gesturing to the spirits and everything around them, "goes to hell. Who told you not to go there? Who's your mysterious contact?"

"Oh for spirits sake, you haven't worked it out? You stupid child. The same person who organised the Red Lotus. Your long lost dad," Ornatok spat.

Jinora stepped back in shock. She grabbed Jahn's arm, desperate to prevent any emotional explosion, but he simply shrugged her off. He looked up at the night sky, peering at the stars as his mind whirled.

"Jinora?"

"Jahn."

"Fly. Fly to your dad. NOW!" he shouted, jumping into the air. His eyes flashed white and the air around him spun faster and faster, carrying him up into the night sky. Jinora grabbed her glider and pushed off with her good leg, Airbending her way after Jahn. Behind them, they heard Ornatok bellow in fury as he turned, launching a huge torrent of water at the collected spirits. Within a split second, shrieks and huge blasts of noise echoed behind them.

"JAHN! THE SPIRITS!" Jinora shouted after the Avatar. He didn't reply. His eyes were locked solely on the tumbling building at the edge of the portal's plain.

The Avatar touched down gently, the sphere of air disappearing into nothingness. Jinora quickly followed, yet her landing was a little les graceful. She almost stumbled and fell, leaning on her glider for support. Looking up, she caught a glimpse of Jahn surveying the building before her hair fell in front of her face. When she swept it aside with her spare hand, Jahn was holding his arms outstretched.

Within one swift movement, Jahn pulled his arms in to his body and clenched his fists, his eyes glowing intensely for a second as he did so. The entire building shuddered and suddenly exploded outwards towards them, pulled by Jahn's incredible bending. The chunks of brick and stone all flew towards them until they suddenly froze; Jahn's outstretched hands held them all in place. Somewhere in the debris were a few human shapes; Jahn let all the rubble fall to the floor before them before bending the air around the people, bringing them towards them.

"Jahn, this is incredible…" Jinora gasped.

The Avatar didn't reply. There were three Spirit Eaters amongst the debris; Jahn dropped them to the floor and bent the earth into a conical shape around them, trapping them completely. The final figure was placed softly in the grass at their feet. Jinora leapt forward with a cry and hugged her father tightly, who placed a hand on her hair as he returned the affection.

"Dad, I'm so glad you're safe…" Jinora said with a teary smile. Tenzin smiled back, his eyes full of love and pride for his daughter, but the look he gave Jahn was alert and serious. "Jahn. Thank you for saving my life. Did you stop the others? Did you prevent any more harm?"

Jahn was staring at the sky, determined not to look at either of the Airbenders kneeling on the ground. He even ignored the Spirit Eaters shouting threats from the side. When he finally spoke, his voice wobbled with emotion. "I've been thinking about a decision I made for a very long time. I've never regretted something so much in all my life. Scarlett."

"Ah…" Tenzin sighed, aware of what Jahn was about to say, but the Avatar carried on regardless.

"We stopped her, yet I'm sure there was another way. There always is. It might be harder and it might be the longer route, but if you had the choice between love and duty…" he said, leaving the statement hanging.

"Love," Jinora said resolutely. "Always love."

Jahn finally looked down. Jinora's eyes were full of gratitude but also sadness. She knew as well as he did that Jahn's act had impacted not just them, but the entire world.

"Do something for me."

"Of course," Jinora promised.

Jahn smiled sadly as he looked at them both. "Get Aana, get Kai, find your family and go somewhere safe. Make sure Tilia's looked after and…just be safe," he said. Before either Tenzin or Jinora could respond, Jahn had launched himself back into the air and flew off towards the portal.

Tenzin looked down at his daughter. "He's right. We need to run. We'll be back one day, I'm sure."

Jinora didn't say a word. She just gripped her father's hand tightly and looked out towards the portal.

* * *

Spirits lay everywhere. Injured, dying and the dead, all together. It made Anik and Kazon sick to their stomachs. The devastation was incredible. What was most shocking, however, is that had occurred within minutes. Flashes of light and sound had reached them as the crossed the plain, but by the time they'd reached the portal, it was over.

"The Spirit Eaters did this?" Anik whispered in horror.

"It looks that way…" Kazon replied, looking round at the battlefield.

"You there! Stop!" a voice shouted behind them. They both turned, surprised at the small crowd that approached. The speaker was a man hobbling along on crutches. He was dressed in Republic City police uniform but it was tattered and broken, as though he'd been in a fight. He was leading the crowd slowly towards the portal, supported slightly by a young woman who had a hand placed gently on his back.

"Saall?" Anik said, squinting at the person. Despite the portal's glow, it was still dark out.

"Anik? Kazon? This…this was your doing?" Saall asked, shocked. The crowd began to mutter behind him as they observed the carnage around.

"Wha—no! We've just got here! It's the Spirit Eaters, they have Tenzin!" Anik said, his arms held up peacefully.

Kazon gestured at the portal. "They killed the spirits. We weren't here but we could see fighting ahead. They must have gone into the Spirit World or…been killed…" he said, noticing a body on the floor. It seemed spiritual, but a closer inspection revealed a shocked human face; the Spirit Eater's body had been warped into a half-eel like shape.

"Spirits kill if they inhabit a body for too long…" Anik murmured darkly.

"And where was the Avatar!? Where was Jahn!?" the young woman shouted loudly.

"I'm here."

Jahn stepped round the portal, careful not to enter it. He made his way towards the crowd, aware of the consequences. This would not be good. He shook Kazon's hand and clapped Anik on the back as a way of greeting both of his friends, before turning to the crowd. His eyes widened as he observed Saall, up and about despite his injuries, stood next to Kuvu.

"Jahn…" Saall began, before Kuvu cut him off. "War! We're at war, Jahn! The spirits broadcast it through the radio! Why didn't you stop this!?" she asked angrily.

Jahn looked at her. He made sure not to retort angrily or even talk down to her. She was clearly frightened, as were they all. Jahn had failed to prevent all the tension from coming to a head and now he had to pay the price.

"She has a point, Avatar!" one of the crowd shouted. Within seconds, they were all shouting loudly, demanding an answer.

Kazon and Anik both stood , unable to speak for him this time. They weren't involved; Jahn was keen to ensure their safety. If the crowd suspected them…

"It was my fault. I was between the Spirit Eaters and the spirits, but they gave me a choice. Either stop them all to ensure peace or to rescue someone very dear to me. I chose the latter," he said finally, waiting for the crowd to cease their angry clamouring. When they did so, he continued to say, "Someone once told me that only a monster would put duty so highly above family. I agreed with her. I couldn't do that again."

The look he gave Kuvu made it very clear what he felt. All those weeks, all those unspoken things, they were all finally said through that one look. Kuvu blushed slightly, evident even in the night gloom, and looked down in shame.

Jahn looked around at the collective before him. "I should have stopped this before it got so far. But they were right. I'm one man. I can't save everyone in the world from everything. Even if this," he said, gesturing at the broken spirits around them, "hadn't happened, war would still have come. They destroyed one of the great Elemental spirits. I can't be here, saving you all, and there, saving that spirit. The Spirit Eaters were right about one thing. You need to stop relying on the Avatar to be the sole bridge between our worlds. That 'duty' now belongs to everyone."

"Yes, we're at war," Jahn continued, "and yes, the spirits will probably retaliate with as much anger as they have. You all need to be prepared. But I will promise you, I will fix this."

"Yeah, you will!" another voice shouted. The crowd began to shout again, until Saall limped forward slightly. A hush settled.

"Jahn. It's unanimous. Even Asami and Mako agree. I'm sorry to tell you this but…you will fix this. But not from here," Saall said, looking at the floor.

Jahn frowned. "I'm sorry?"

Saall took a deep breath in. "You're banished, Avatar Jahn. You're to enter the portal and seal it behind you. You can only return to Republic City when this war is over and the spirits have been stopped."

Jahn was dumbstruck. Both Kazon and Anik both made to stand by his side, but he stepped back from them both. Despite all his efforts, the people had turned on him. Fear made monsters of them all.

"Fine," Jahn whispered. "Fine. I promised you I'd do my best. If this is what you all want…"

He looked over at Anik and Kazon and nodded. Both nodded back, looking distraught, but Jahn shot them a quick smile to reassure them both. As long as all his friends were safe, he could focus fully on fixing this mess.

"I'll see you all soon," Jahn promised, before he backed slowly into the spirit portal.

The last they saw of Avatar Jahn, he was stepping into the portal and after a quick flash, he was gone. They all waited, anxious to see the outcome, but they did not have to wait long. The portal began to spark suddenly, the beam of light shrinking as the portal seemed to roll in on itself. A pulsing orb of energy enveloped it until the beam of light vanished, the portal was locked and the Avatar was no more.

* * *

((That's a wrap! Book Two is over and Book Three is being planned as you read this. Just a quick fun fact: this chapter was uploaded a year to the day since I started Book One. Thank you for sticking with Jahn and friends for an entire year!))


	18. Regarding Book Three

Regarding Book Three:

Happy New Year!

I hope you're having a great start to 2016! Just a quick word from myself to wrap up Book Two:

Firstly, thank you so much for sticking with Jahn's adventures through Books One and Two. Book One even hit a total of 5000 views! That's absolutely crazy. All the views, all the reviews and everything; it all brings the greatest joy to myself knowing you enjoy reading where Jahn and Team Avatar are heading.

Secondly, Book Two was only a taste of things to come; you haven't seen the last of Team Avatar or even the Spirit Eaters. I realise there were plenty of questions raised in this Book and they shall be addressed soon.

Finally, as the chapter title suggests, I will soon start work on Book Three. I can't give a definite date for when it'll begin but I need some time to work on other projects. That being said, expect it sometime in early 2016.

So, to leave you all on a final note, please do expect the finale to Jahn's story:

The Legend of Jahn  
Book Three: Harmony

See you all later in 2016!

AvatarJahn.


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